System and Method for Using Pre-Equilibrium Ballistic Charge Carrier Refraction

Abstract

A method and system for using a method of pre-equilibrium ballistic charge carrier refraction comprises fabricating one or more solid-state electric generators. The solid-state electric generators include one or more of a chemically energized solid-state electric generator and a thermionic solid-state electric generator. A first material having a first charge carrier effective mass is used in a solid-state junction. A second material having a second charge carrier effective mass greater than the first charge carrier effective mass is used in the solid-state junction. A charge carrier effective mass ratio between the second effective mass and the first effective mass is greater than or equal to two.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 one or more solid-state electric generators, the solid-state electric generators including at least one chemically energized solid-state electric generators;   wherein the one or more solid-state electric generators include, a first region of a solid-state junction, the first region including a first material having a first charge carrier effective mass;   a second material of the solid-state junction, the second material having a second charge carrier effective mass greater than the first charge carrier effective mass, wherein a charge carrier effective mass ratio between the second charge carrier effective mass and the first charge carrier effective mass is greater than or equal to two; and   a heat sink that removes heat from the one or more solid state electric generators, the heat sink having a heat sink temperature higher than an ambient temperature;   wherein the one or more solid-state electric generators use an interaction of chemically energized reactants to energize a charge carrier in the first material, to have an effective carrier temperature higher than a second material temperature of the second material; wherein the first material permits ballistic transport of the charge carrier through the first material and into the second material.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second charge carrier effective mass of the second material is greater than 2. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one chemically energized solid-state electric generators include an electrical potential barrier that retards transport of the charge carrier from the first material to the second material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more solid-state electric generators are formed from one or more additional materials, the additional materials including a ZT thermoelectric material having a figure of merit greater than 0.05. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second material is chosen from a materials group including additional materials having a carrier effective mass greater than two, and the additional materials including, rutile TiO2, anatase TiO2, porous anatase TiO2, SrTiO3, BaTiO3, Sr.sub.13 x-Ba_y-TiO_z, boron carbide, LiNiO, and LaSrVO3, and certain organic semiconductors, such as PTCDA, or 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylicacid-dianhydride. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one chemically energized solid-state electric generators include vibrationally excited molecular reaction products that are generated by chemical reactions, the vibrationally excited molecular reaction products interacting with a conductor of the first region to cause the effective carrier temperature to be higher than the second material temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising chemically energized highly vibrationally excited molecular reaction products initialized by chemical association reactions. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is directly connected to the second material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is connected to the second material. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 providing one or more solid-state electric generators including, generating a first region of a solid-state junction including a first material having a first charge carrier effective mass;   generating a second material of the solid-state junction, the second material having a second charge carrier effective mass greater than the first charge carrier effective mass, wherein a charge carrier effective mass ratio between the second charge carrier effective mass and the first charge carrier effective mass is greater than or equal to two;   providing a heat sink that removes heat from said one or more solid-state electric generators, the heat sink having a heat sink temperature higher than an ambient temperature;   the first material permits ballistic transport of a charge carrier through the first material into the second material; and   retarding transport of a charge carrier from the first material to the second material with an electrical potential barrier that permits the charge carrier to traverse into the second material.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more solid-state electric generators are formed from one or more additional materials, the additional materials including a ZT thermoelectric material having a figure of merit greater than 0.05. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein during the connecting a heat sink step to the second material, directly connecting a heat sink to the second material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heat sink is connected to the second material.