Non-typical temperature distribution in p–n structure under thermoelectric cooling

The physical peculiarities of the thermoelectric cooling phenomenon by an electric current in p–n structures of thermally thick structure in the linear approximation are investigated. It is shown the possibility of the realization of an exotic distribution of the temperatures of electrons, holes, and phonons: the thermoelectric cooling takes place near the p–n interface and in the subsystems of charged quasi-particles only. The phonon subsystem stays in the equilibrium state. The prerequisites to such situation are examined.