CAREER: Microscale Direct Energy Conversion by Field Emission and Microscale Technology in Thermo-Fluids Engineering Education

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CTS-9983961AbstractThis research program will investigate thermal-electrical energy conversion phenomena in vacuum electron field emission microstructures with synthetic diamond and diamond-like cathodes. An improved thermodynamic performance is expected due to diamond's semiconductor band structure, which produces a selective emission of high-energy electrons, and microstructural features, such as micron-scale pyramidal tips that enhance electrical fields. Guided by new theoretical and computational analyses, new experiments will be conducted to characterize thermodynamic performance for low-temperature refrigeration and high-temperature electrical power generation. In this program, arrays of micron-scale pyramidal diamond tips will be fabricated, and their ability to act as refrigeration and power generation devices will be studied. A working device could include more than ten million tips per square centimeter and could provide new solutions to emerging needs in portable cooling technology and mobile electrical power generation. Further, the efficiency and simplicity promised by this concept could improve large-scale energy systems, such as renewable solar energy converters.