1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to thermoelectric cooling devices and to semiconductor packages and systems with thermoelectric cooling devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits, and semiconductor packages containing integrated circuits, often generate heat which may damage or impair the functioning of the semiconductor packages and/or other components of a device including integrated circuits. Conventional solutions to address the generation of heat include passive elements, such as heat sinks and heat pipes, and active elements, such as fans, microrefrigerators and thermoelectric cooling (TEC) devices to transfer heat energy, hot or cold, to or away from a part of the integrated circuit. For example, a TEC may comprise one or more P and/or N type diodes which in response to a current flow heat one side of the TEC and cool the other side of the TEC. Conventional TEC devices generally use bulk metal molding and ceramic thermal conductors, and may typically have an area of 16 cm2.