TEC Built in our Laser diode
2023-10-09

TEC is a semiconductor cooler, which is the abbreviation of Thermo Electric Cooler in English. It is made by exploiting the Peltier effect of semiconductor materials. The so-called Peltier effect refers to the phenomenon that when a DC current passes through a galvanic couple composed of two semiconductor materials, one end absorbs heat and the other end releases heat. Therefore, TEC is also called a thermoelectric cooler. Working principle of TEC The smallest unit of TEC is composed of a pair (group) of N-type and P-type semiconductors plus connecting electrodes (sintering points). The connecting electrodes form a cold end and a hot end (see Figure 1). Under the action of an external electric field, the current can bring the heat generated in the semiconductor from one end of the TEC to the other end, creating a "hot" side and a "cold" side on the TEC. When the current direction is reversed, it will cause the hot and cold end faces of the TEC to switch (see Figure 2). This is the principle of TEC heating and cooling.