Abstract:
A thermoelectric cooler apparatus for a fiber optic system includes a first plate(521 ) coupled to the fiber optic system and a second plate(522) for coupling to a heat sink. The apparatus includes a first plurality of thermoelectric units and a second plurality of thermoelectric units being sandwiched between the first plate(521) and the second plate(522) for enhancing or retarding a heat transfer between the first plate(521) and the second plate(522). The first plurality of thermoelectric units (502 4 , 501 4 , 502 3 ,501 3 , 502 2 , 501 2 , 502 1 , 501 1 ) is connected to each other electrically in series. The second plurality of thermoelectric units (511 1 ,512 1 ,511 2 ,511 3 ) is connected to each other electrically in series but insulated from the first plurality of thermoelectric units. The first plurality of thermoelectric units (502 4 , 501 4 , 502 3 ,501 3 , 502 2, 501 2 , 502 1 , 501 1 ) and the second plurality of thermoelectric units (511 1 ,512 1 ,511 2 ,511 3 ) are configured such that a cross-section of the apparatus includes one or more of the second plurality of thermoelectric units being sandwiched by the first plurality of thermoelectric units.