Dynamics of Nanometer Gap Formation in Thermo-Tunneling Devices for Energy Conversion

用于能量转换的热隧道装置中纳米间隙形成的动力学

• 批准号: 0927661
• 负责人: Eniko Enikov
• 金额: $ 27万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-15 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0927661&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dynamics; Nanometer; Gap; Formation; Thermo

Thermo-tunneling is a term used to describe combined emission of hot electrons (thermionic emission) and tunneling of electrons through a narrow potential barrier between two surfaces (field emission). Thermo-tunneling of hot electrons across a few-nanometer gap has application to vacuum electronics and flat panel displays, and holds great potential in thermo-electric cooling and energy generation. Theoretical and experimental studies on thermo-tunneling nano-structures have shown that the heat removal efficiency of these structures could approach the theoretical limit known as Carnot efficiency. This project aims to test a new method for constructing thermo-tunneling devices by forming a very narrow (1 nanometer wide) vacuum gap across two very smooth surfaces. Unfortunately, establishment of a nanometer vacuum gap over sufficiently large areas required for practical use of thermo-tunneling devices is very challenging and so far has not been demonstrated. The goal of this proposal, therefore, is to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of creating nanometer vacuum gaps over extended areas using a dynamic equilibrium between Lorentz, Van der Waals, and electrostatic forces. The methods of modern dynamical system analysis and boundary control of distributed parameter systems will be applied to demonstrate theoretically and experimentally the feasibility of forming such gaps and to produce a new class of high-efficiency energy conversion devices. If successful, the proposed research will result in a novel nanometer gap-forming technique that can be used in solid-state cooling devices, solid-state thermoelectric generators, and high-speed vacuum electronic devices for defense (radiation hard) applications. The energy conversion efficiency of such devices approaches the thermodynamic (Carnot) limit, therefore the project could lead to tremendous energy savings in cooling and power-generation applications by replacing mechanical compressors in cooling applications, or producing a more efficient thermo-electric generators. The research will provide invaluable training opportunities for graduate students in the Applied Mathematics Interdisciplinary Program at the University of Arizona and for graduate student exchange with the world-renowned Department of Applied Mechanics at the Budapest Technical University of Technology and Economics.

热隧穿是一个术语，用于描述热电子的组合发射（电子发射）和电子穿过两个表面之间的窄势垒的隧穿（场发射）。热电子在几个纳米间隙中的热隧穿可应用于真空电子学和平板显示器，并且在热电冷却和能量产生方面具有巨大的潜力。对热隧穿纳米结构的理论和实验研究表明，这些结构的热去除效率可以接近称为卡诺效率的理论极限。该项目旨在测试一种通过在两个非常光滑的表面上形成非常窄（1纳米宽）的真空间隙来构建热隧道器件的新方法。不幸的是，在实际使用热隧穿器件所需的足够大的区域上建立纳米真空间隙是非常具有挑战性的，并且迄今为止尚未得到证明。因此，本提案的目标是探索和证明使用洛伦兹力、货车德瓦尔斯力和静电力之间的动态平衡在扩展区域上产生纳米真空间隙的可行性。现代动力系统分析和分布参数系统边界控制的方法将被应用于从理论和实验上证明形成这种间隙的可行性，并产生一类新的高效能量转换装置。 如果成功，拟议的研究将产生一种新的纳米间隙形成技术，可用于固态冷却设备，固态热电发电机和国防（辐射硬）应用的高速真空电子设备。这种设备的能量转换效率接近热力学（卡诺）极限，因此该项目可以通过在冷却应用中取代机械压缩机或生产更高效的热电发电机来节省冷却和发电应用中的大量能源。这项研究将为亚利桑那大学应用数学跨学科项目的研究生提供宝贵的培训机会，并为布达佩斯技术经济大学与世界知名的应用力学系的研究生交流提供宝贵的培训机会。