Nanostructured thermolectric elements and methods of making the same

US9082930B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• ALPHABET ENERGY, INC. · US

Inventors

• Barbara Wacker · Saratoga, US
• Mario Aguirre · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 21, 2013
• Grant date: Jul 14, 2015
• Expiry date: Oct 21, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N10/17

Abstract

Nanostructured thermoelectric elements are made from planar uniwafer processing methods. The method includes producing either n-type or p-type thermoelectric uniwafer structure bearing nanostructure material embedded in a low thermal conductivity fill material. The method further includes partially cutting the uniwafer structure to form a plurality of chip structures separated by trenches. The method includes filling the trenches with the fill material to surround the nanostructure material within each chip structure. The method further includes additionally planar processing to form both frontend and backend conductive contact layers respectively coupled to frontend regions and backend regions of the chip structures. Additionally, the modified thermoelectric uniwafer structure is cut to turn the chip structures to bulk-sized nanostructured thermoelectric legs, each bulk-sized nanostructured thermoelectric leg being wrapped around by the fill material and ready for assembling thermoelectric modules.