Devices for cooling and power

Abstract

Certain embodiments disclosed herein are directed to devices for cooling. In certain examples, a thermoelectric device comprising a substrate and a superlattice coupled to the substrate is disclosed. In some examples, the superlattice includes a first semi-conducting material and a second semi-conducting material coupled to the first semi-conducting material to provide an interface between the first and second semi-conducting materials.

1 . A thermoelectric device comprising:
 a substrate;   a first superlattice coupled to the substrate, the first superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   a power source electrically coupled to first superlattice.   
   
   
       2 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material are each independently selected from the group consisting of BiTe, SbTe, PbSe, PbS, PbTe, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the first superlattice. 
   
   
       4 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 3 , further comprising a vacuum between the heat sink and the first superlattice. 
   
   
       5 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power to the first superlattice to facilitate heat transfer from a surface to be cooled to the substrate. 
   
   
       6 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the first superlattice are selected to promote a Schottky barrier between them. 
   
   
       7 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second superlattice coupled to the substrate, the second superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the first superlattice and the second superlattice.   
   
   
       8 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 7 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power to the first superlattice and the second superlattice for power generation by the thermoelectric device. 
   
   
       9 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 5 , wherein the first superlattice is a p-type superlattice. 
   
   
       10 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 9 , wherein the second superlattice is a n-type superlattice. 
   
   
       11 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 5 , wherein the first material and the second material of each of the first superlattice and the second superlattice are independently selected from the group consisting of BiTe, SbTe, PbSe, PbS, PbTe, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 5 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the first superlattice and the second superlattice, the first superlattice and the second superlattice coupled between the substrate and the heat sink. 
   
   
       13 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 12 , further comprising a spacer coupled between the heat sink and the first and second superlattices. 
   
   
       14 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 5 , wherein the power source is configured to provide power to the first superlattice and the second superlattice to facilitate heat transfer from a surface to be cooled to the substrate. 
   
   
       15 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first superlattice and the second superlattice comprises at least one metal layer. 
   
   
       16 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an additional substrate coupled to the first superlattice and an additional superlattice coupled to the additional substrate, the additional superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   wherein the additional substrate and additional superlattice form a vertical stack with the substrate and the first superlattice.   
   
   
       17 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 16 , wherein the first material and the second material of the first superlattice and the additional superlattice are each independently selected from the group consisting of BiTe, SbTe, PbSe, PbS, PbTe, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       18 . A device comprising:
 a substrate;   a plurality of individual superlattices coupled to the substrate, each of the superlattices comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   a power source electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of individual superlattices.   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of superlattices are arranged to form an array of thermoelectric devices. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein at least two of the plurality of superlattices are interconnected to form a p-n couple. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the first material and the second material of each of the plurality of individual superlattices are independently selected from the group consisting of BiTe, SbTe, PbSe, PbS, PbTe, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to at least one of the plurality of individual superlattices, wherein the at least one of the plurality of individual superlattices is coupled between the substrate and the heat sink. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the power source is electrically coupled to each of the superlattices of the plurality of individual superlattices. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of power sources, wherein each superlattice is electrically coupled to a different power source. 
   
   
       25 . A thermoelectric device comprising a bulk thermoelectric material disposed on a superlattice. 
   
   
       26 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 25 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the superlattice is disposed on the substrate. 
   
   
       27 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 25 , wherein the superlattice comprises alternating layers of semi-conducting materials. 
   
   
       28 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 25 , wherein the superlattice comprises alternating layers of metals. 
   
   
       29 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 25 , wherein the superlattice comprises alternating layers of a metal and a semi-conducting material. 
   
   
       30 . A method of cooling a downhole electrical component, the method comprising:
 providing thermal communication between a thermoelectric device and the downhole electrical component, the thermoelectric device comprising a substrate and a first superlattice coupled to the substrate, the first superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   providing cooling of the electrical component by heat transfer from the electrical component to the thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing cooling comprises providing power to the thermoelectric device to generate a temperature gradient across the thermoelectric device. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising forming the thermoelectric device on the downhole electrical component. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising coupling a heat sink to the first superlattice to facilitate cooling of the downhole electrical component. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing thermal communication between the thermoelectric device and the downhole electrical component comprises contacting the downhole electrical component with the thermoelectric device. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the thermoelectric device further comprises configuring the thermoelectric device with a second superlattice and a power source electrically coupled to the first superlattice and the second superlattice, the second superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials. 
   
   
       36 . A method of facilitating cooling of a downhole electrical component, the method comprising:
 providing a thermoelectric device that comprises a substrate and a first superlattice coupled to the substrate, the first superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   providing instructions for using the thermoelectric device to cool a downhole electrical component.   
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising providing instructions for configuring the thermoelectric device with a power source electrically coupled to the first superlattice. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising providing instructions for configuring the thermoelectric device with a second superlattice, the second superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials of the second superlattice. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising configuring the thermoelectric device with a power source electrically coupled to the first superlattice and the second superlattice. 
   
   
       40 . A kit for downhole cooling, the kit comprising:
 at least one thermoelectric device comprising a substrate and a superlattice coupled to the substrate, the superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials; and   instructions for using the thermoelectric device to cool a downhole electrical component.   
   
   
       41 . The kit of  claim 40 , wherein the thermoelectric device further comprises an additional superlattice coupled to the substrate, the additional superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials. 
   
   
       42 . The kit of  claim 40 , wherein the thermoelectric device further comprises a heat sink coupled to the superlattice and the additional superlattice. 
   
   
       43 . A device for use in a downhole tool, the device comprising at least one electrical component and a thermoelectric device coupled to the at least one electrical component, the thermoelectric device comprising a substrate and a superlattice coupled to the substrate, the superlattice comprising a first material and a second material coupled to the first material to provide an interface between the first and second materials. 
   
   
       44 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one electrical component is an integrated circuit. 
   
   
       45 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one electrical component is on a printed circuit board. 
   
   
       46 . A thermoelectric cooling device for cooling a downhole electrical component, the thermoelectric cooling device comprising a superlattice that includes a material having a figure of merit ZT value of at least about two at 150° C.