Patent ID: 8166769
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A self-cooled electronic component comprising: a Peltier cooler; and a vertical monolithic circuit formed in a first semiconductor substrate and formed separately from the Peltier cooler, the circuit comprising a one-way component and being a load to be cooled, and the vertical monolithic circuit being electrically connected in series with the Peltier cooler such that when a D.C. current flows through the vertical monolithic circuit, the same D.C. current flows from the vertical monolithic circuit to the cooler to supply the D.C. current to the cooler, wherein the circuit and the cooler are placed against each other so that a cold surface of the cooler is in thermal contact with the vertical monolithic circuit; wherein the Peltier cooler comprises an odd number of concentric regions of a second thermoelectric semiconductor material, of alternating conductivity types, laterally isolated, and electrically connected in series, a surface of a central region corresponding to a first terminal, and an opposite surface of an external region corresponding to a second terminal.