Synthetic thermoelectric materials comprising phononic crystals

US8508370B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Sandia Corporation · US

Inventors

• Ihab F. El-Kady · Albuquerque, US
• Roy H. Olsson · Albuquerque, US
• Patrick E. Hopkins · Albuquerque, US
• Charles M. Reinke · Albuquerque, US
• Bongsang Kim · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2011
• Grant date: Aug 13, 2013
• Expiry date: Jan 25, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B1/005
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Synthetic thermoelectric materials comprising phononic crystals can simultaneously have a large Seebeck coefficient, high electrical conductivity, and low thermal conductivity. Such synthetic thermoelectric materials can enable improved thermoelectric devices, such as thermoelectric generators and coolers, with improved performance. Such synthetic thermoelectric materials and devices can be fabricated using techniques that are compatible with standard microelectronics.