TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: The apparatus includes mechanism coupled to the substrate. The phonon insulating gas includes aerogel layer or point contact array. The thermoelectric substrate is semiconductor. The apparatus includes second surface plasmon substrate coupled to the thermoelectric substrate. The phonon insulating gap extends from the first face of the first surface plasmon substrate to first surface of the second surface plasmon substrate. The first and second plasmon substrates include semiconductor. The second surface plasmon substrate contacts the thermoelectric substrate. The two surface plasmon substrates include the same semiconductor. The second surface plasmon substrate and thermoelectric substrate are the same semiconductor. The second plasmon substrate is doped surface layer of thermoelectric substrate. The second surface plasmon substrate and thermoelectric substrate are different semiconductors. The apparatus includes thermal reservoir thermally coupled to the first plasmon substrate and a second thermal reservoir thermally coupled tot he thermoelectric substrate, power supply electrically coupled to the electrodes thus the apparatus has refrigeration mode. The apparatus in refrigeration mode has refrigeration efficiency greater than the comparison refrigeration deice. The apparatus includes load circuit electrically coupled tot he electrode, thus the apparatus has power generation mode, metal layer coupled to second face of the first surface plasmon substrate. The apparatus in power generation mode has power generation efficiency greater than the comparison power generation device.Preferred Properties: The thickness of the phonon insulating gap is 1-100 nm. The first thermal reservoir is at higher temperature than the second thermal reservoir.Preferred Parameters: The phonon insulating gap is sealed at less than 0.01 Torr at 25degreesC with inert gas, less than 1% of the heat transfer across the gap is due to inert gas compared to that due to surface plasmon radiative energy flux.Preferred Methods: The method includes refrigerating the first thermal reservoir by applying electrical current of the thermoelectric substrate to place the electron temperature lower than the phonon temperature at the first face of thermoelectric substrate, thus transferring thermal energy from the first thermal reservoir to the second thermal reservoir. The method includes generating power at efficiency greater than the comparison generation device    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The thermoelectric substrate is preferably indium antimonide, mercury cadmium telluride, indium arsenide, bismuth telluride, silicon germanium, lead telluride, lead selenide, mercury selenide, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, boron carbides, or boron silicides. The thermoelectric substrate is preferably indium tin, mercury cadmium tellurium, and mercury selenium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The thermoelectric substrate is preferably indium antimonide, mercury cadmium telluride, indium arsenide, bismuth telluride, silicon germanium, lead telluride, lead selenide, mercury selenide, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, boron carbides, or boron silicides. The thermoelectric substrate is preferably indium tin, mercury cadmium tellurium, and mercury selenium.