Solid-State Thermal Control Devices

Abstract

Over the past decade, solid-state thermal control devices have emerged as potential candidates for enhanced thermal management and storage. They distinguish themselves from traditional passive thermal management devices in that their thermal properties have sharp, nonlinear dependencies on direction and operating temperature, and can lead to more efficient circuits and energy conversion systems than what is possible today. They also distinguish themselves from traditional active thermal management devices (e.g., fans) in that they have no moving parts and are compact and reliable. In this article, the recent progress in the four broad categories of solid-state thermal control devices that are under active research is reviewed: diodes, switches, regulators, and transistors. For each class of device, the operation principle, material choices, as well as metrics to compare and contrast performance are discussed. New architectures that are explored theoretically, but not experimentally demonstrated, are also discussed.