  Topology optimization is used to systematically design contact-aided
thermo-mechanical regulators, i.e. components whose effective thermal
conductivity is tunable by mechanical deformation and contact. The
thermo-mechanical interactions are modeled using a fully coupled non-linear
thermo-mechanical finite element framework. To obtain the intricate heat
transfer response, the components leverage self-contact, which is modeled using
a third medium contact method. The effective heat transfer properties of the
regulators are tuned by solving a topology optimization problem using a
traditional gradient based algorithm. Several designs of thermo-mechanical
regulators in the form of switches, diodes and triodes are presented.
