Cynthia B Watkins

US Patent:

7706152, Apr 27, 2010

Filed:

Jun 19, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/454984

Inventors:

Bing Shen - Cary NC, US
Robert Hendry - Hillsborough NC, US
Cynthia Watkins - Dunn NC, US
Rama Venkatasubramanian - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

Research Triangle Institute - Research Triangle Park NC

International Classification:

H02M 3/22
H01H 47/26

US Classification:

363 15, 361162, 361206

Abstract:

A power conversion unit and method for converting DC power. The power conversion unit includes a self-oscillating device configured to convert a DC voltage into a self-oscillating alternating current AC signal, a transformer connected to the self-oscillating device and configured to transform the self-oscillating AC signal into a transformed AC signal, and an AC-to-DC converter configured to convert the transformed AC signal into a DC signal. The method generates a self-oscillating current, transforms the self-oscillating current into a transformed AC signal, and converts the transformed AC signal into a DC signal.

US Patent:

20070215194, Sep 20, 2007

Filed:

Mar 2, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/681303

Inventors:

Jayesh Bharathan - Cary NC, US
David Koester - Burlington NC, US
Randall Alley - Raleigh NC, US
Rama Venkatasubramanian - Cary NC, US
Pratima Addepalli - Monroe MI, US
Bing Shen - Apex NC, US
Cynthia Watkins - Dunn NC, US

International Classification:

H01L 35/02
H01L 35/00

US Classification:

136230000, 136200000

Abstract:

A method of forming a thermoelectric device may include forming a plurality of islands of thermoelectric material on a deposition substrate. The plurality of islands of thermoelectric material may be bonded to a header substrate so that the plurality of islands are between the deposition substrate and the header substrate. More particularly, the islands of thermoelectric material may be epitaxial islands of thermoelectric material having crystal structures aligned with a crystal structure of the deposition substrate. Related structures are also discussed.