1. A portable computing device, comprising:
a housing having an external surface and an inner surface; and
a solid-state cooling mechanism coupled to the inner surface,
wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is configured to maintain a temperature difference across at least a portion of the external surface, and wherein the temperature difference is less than a pre-determined value.
2. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is configured to thermo-electrically transport heat.
3. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism includes one or more pn junctions.
4. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism functions by using the Peltier effect.
5. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism includes a thermal-electric cooler.
6. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is configured to remain stationary while transporting heat away from the inner surface.
7. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism transports heat is associated with operation of one or more integrated circuits in the portable computing device.
8. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism has a thickness less than or equal to 100 \u03bcm.
9. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the external surface includes a bottom surface of the portable computing device.
10. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined value is less than 7 C.
11. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined value is less than 5 C.
12. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is one of two or more solid-state cooling mechanisms coupled to the inner surface.
13. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the two or more solid-state cooling mechanisms are arranged in an array.
14. The portable computing device of claim 1, further comprising a motherboard, wherein solid-state cooling mechanism is powered by the motherboard.
15. The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is configured to use a power less than or equal to 100 mW when transporting heat.
16. The portable computing device of claim 1, further comprising:
a heat-diffusion layer, wherein a first end of the solid-state cooling mechanism is coupled to the inner surface of the housing and a second end of the solid-state cooling mechanism is coupled to the heat-diffusion layer; and
a thermal-interface layer coupled to a portion of the heat-diffusion layer and the inner surface of the housing, wherein the thermal-interface layer is coupled to the inner surface of the housing at a different location than the first end of the solid-state cooling mechanism.
17. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein the heat-diffusion layer includes graphite, aluminum, magnesium, copper, an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, or a copper alloy.
18. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein the heat-diffusion layer has a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 mm.
19. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein the thermal-interface layer includes a silicon-based grease compound, an organic-based grease compound, a thermal-grease compound, a polymer, solder, or a thermal-gap pad.
20. A method for cooling an external surface of a housing in a portable computing device, comprising:
providing power to a solid-state cooling mechanism, wherein the solid-state cooling mechanism is coupled to an inner surface of the housing; and
transporting heat away from an inner surface of the housing to maintain a temperature difference across at least a portion of the external surface of the housing, wherein the temperature difference is less than a pre-determined value.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrofusion microelectrode which comprises a tube having walls painted with a liquid electric conductor and wherein the painted electric conductor extends continually from a first (medial) end of the tube to a second (distal) end of the tube, wherein the distal end of the tube is connectable to a direct current power source.
2. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the tube is shaped as a holding pipette.
3. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the first (medial) end of the tube is sealed.
4. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the first (medial) end of the tube is open.
5. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the tube is made of plastic, PVC, ceramic, or metal.
6. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the tube is made of glass.
7. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the tube is bent.
8. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the second (distal) end of the tube is connectable to a vacuum or hand held aspirator.
9. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 8 wherein the hand held aspirator is a pipette holder.
10. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 further comprising:
a tool holder on which the electrofusion microelectrode is mounted.
11. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 10 further comprising:
a micromanipulator which controls the tool holder.
12. The electrofusion microelectrode of claim 1 wherein the liquid electrical conductor is selected from the group consisting of liquid aluminum, copper, silver, gold, titanium, platinum, tungsten, alloys, and mixtures thereof.