Heat flow switching element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11362255-B2
Application number	US-202016830847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2020
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a heat flow switching element which has a larger change in a thermal conductivity and has excellent thermal responsiveness. The heat flow switching element includes an N-type semiconductor layer, an insulator layer laminated on the N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer laminated on the insulator layer, an N-side electrode connected to the N-type semiconductor layer, and a P-side electrode connected to the P-type semiconductor layer. In particular, the insulator layer is formed of a dielectric. Also, a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers and P-type semiconductor layers are laminated alternately with the insulator layer interposed therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat flow switching element comprising:
an N-type semiconductor layer;
an insulator layer which is laminated on the N-type semiconductor layer;
a P-type semiconductor layer which is laminated on the insulator layer;
an N-side electrode which is connected to the N-type semiconductor layer; and
a P-side electrode which is connected to the P-type semiconductor layer,
wherein the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer are electrically insulated by the insulator layer disposed therebetween, and
a thermal conductivity of the heat flow switching element is changed by applying an external voltage to the N-side electrode and the P-side electrode.

2. The heat flow switching element according to claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer is formed of a dielectric.

3. The heat flow switching element according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers and P-type semiconductor layers are alternately laminated with the insulator layer interposed therebetween.

4. The heat flow switching element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper high thermal conductive portion which is provided on an uppermost surface,
a lower high thermal conductive portion which is provided on a lowermost surface, and
an outer peripheral thermal insulation portion which is provided to cover outer peripheral edges of the N-type semiconductor layer, the insulator layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer,
wherein the upper high thermal conductive portion and the lower high thermal conductive portion are formed of a material having a higher heat conductivity than that of the outer peripheral thermal insulation portion.

5. The heat flow switching element according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper thermal insulation portion which is provided on an uppermost surface,
a lower thermal insulation portion which is provided on a lowermost surface, and
a pair of outer peripheral high thermal conductive portions which are partially provided at two locations separated from each other on outer peripheral edges of the N-type semiconductor layer, the insulator layer, and the P-type semiconductor layer,
wherein the outer peripheral high thermal conductive portion is formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than that of each of the upper thermal insulation portion and the lower thermal insulation portion.

6. The heat flow switching element according to claim 1 , wherein the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer are formed of a thin film having a thickness of less than 1 μm.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Materials Corp
• Toyota School Found

Inventors

• Fujita Toshiaki
• Arai Koya
• Takeuchi Tsunehiro
• Matsunaga Takuya

Classifications

• H10W40/00

  Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60) · CPC title

• H01L35/30

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L23/34

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/10

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/08

  Electricity · mapped topic