Thin-film heterostructure thermoelectrics in a group IIA and IV-VI materials system

US8563844B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Phononic Devices, Inc. · US
• The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma · US

Inventors

• Allen L. Gray · Holly Springs, US
• Robert Joseph Therrien · Cary, US
• Patrick John McCann · Norman, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 2012
• Grant date: Oct 22, 2013
• Expiry date: Mar 9, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/80

Abstract

Embodiments of a thin-film heterostructure thermoelectric material and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In general, the thermoelectric material is formed in a Group IIa and IV-VI materials system. The thermoelectric material includes an epitaxial heterostructure and exhibits high heat pumping and figure-of-merit performance in terms of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity over broad temperature ranges through appropriate engineering and judicious optimization of the epitaxial heterostructure.