US 11,791,142 B2
Small gap device system and method of fabrication
Matthew Campbell, Philadelphia, PA (US); Mohsen Azadi, Philadelphia, PA (US); Kyana Van Houten, Berkeley, CA (US); Jared William Schwede, Berkeley, CA (US); Samuel M. Nicaise, Philadelphia, PA (US); and Igor Bargatin, Wynnewood, PA (US)
Assigned to Spark Thermionics, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US); and The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed by Spark Thermionics, Inc., Berkeley, CA (US); and The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Filed on Jan. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/155,638.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/106,268, filed on Oct. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/024,873, filed on May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/964,980, filed on Jan. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0139687 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H01J 45/00 (2006.01); H01J 9/18 (2006.01); H01L 29/66 (2006.01); H10N 10/00 (2023.01)
CPC H01J 45/00 (2013.01) [H01J 9/185 (2013.01); H01L 29/6653 (2013.01); H01L 29/6656 (2013.01); H10N 10/00 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermionic energy converter system, comprising:
a first electrode comprising a first surface;
a second electrode comprising a second surface; and
a mesh spacer maintaining a gap between the first and second surfaces;
wherein:
the first and second surfaces are arranged facing each other across the gap;
the mesh spacer electrically and thermally isolates the first electrode from the second electrode;
the mesh spacer defines a mesh structure comprising a set of vertices and a set of paths connected between vertices of the set, the set of vertices comprising a first, second, and third vertex, the set of paths comprising:
a first path extending from the third vertex to the second vertex; and
a second path extending from the third vertex to the first vertex;
the mesh spacer comprises a set of legs extending substantially along the set of paths, the set of legs comprising:
a first canaliculate leg defining a first lumen extending substantially along the first path; and
a second canaliculate leg defining a second lumen extending substantially along the second path, the second leg connected to the first leg via the set of legs;
the first lumen defines a first opening facing the first surface;
the first canaliculate leg comprises a first elongated member, wherein:
the first elongated member extends substantially along the first path;
the first elongated member bounds the first lumen, opposing the first opening across the lumen; and
the second surface opposes the first lumen across the first elongated member;
the mesh spacer defines a plurality of apertures between legs of the set of legs, wherein, for each aperture of the plurality, a respective normal vector from the first surface to the second surface passes through the aperture and does not intersect the mesh spacer;
the mesh spacer contacts the first surface at a first set of contact points;
the mesh spacer defines a plurality of protrusions that protrude within the gap toward the second surface, wherein:
the plurality of protrusions comprises a first protrusion that protrudes from the first elongated member toward the second surface; and
each protrusion of the plurality contacts the second surface; and
for each contact point of the first set, a respective normal vector from the contact point to the second surface does not intersect the plurality of protrusions.