Electronic refrigeration

Japanese: 電子冷却 - でんしれいきゃく（英語表記）electronic refrigeration

When two different types of conductors are connected in series and a direct current is passed through them, the phenomenon in which heat is generated or absorbed at the junction of the conductors is called the Peltier effect, and cooling that utilizes the Peltier effect is called electronic cooling. If a metal is used as the conductor, it has good thermal conductivity, so even if heat is generated or absorbed, the temperature difference between the two junctions is small. Therefore, a semiconductor with a low thermal conductivity is used as the conductor to achieve the cooling effect. As shown in the figure, one end of the n-type and p-type semiconductors is commonly connected with a metal plate, and a current is passed from the n-type semiconductor to the p-type semiconductor.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

種類の異なる二つの導体を直列につなぎ，直流電流を流したとき，導体のつなぎ目で，熱の発生または吸収が起こる現象をペルチエ効果といい，ペルチエ効果を利用した冷却を電子冷却という。導体として金属を用いると，熱伝導がよいため，熱の発生や吸収が起こっても，二つのつなぎ目の間の温度差は小さくなってしまう。そこで，導体として熱伝導率のあまり高くない半導体を使用し，冷却の効果を得ている。図のように，n形およびp形半導体の一端を金属板で共通につなぎ，n形半導体からp形半導体の方向に電流を流す。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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