초록 ▼

A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device includes p-legs and n-legs, each leg having a large number of alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium. The p-legs includes al

A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device includes p-legs and n-legs, each leg having a large number of alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium. The p-legs includes alternating layers of B4C and B9C. In preferred embodiments the layers are about 100 angstroms thick. Applicants have fabricated and tested a first Si/SiGe (n-leg) and B4C/B9C (p-leg) quantum well thermocouple. Each leg was only 11 microns thick on a 5 micron Si substrate. Nevertheless, in actual tests the thermocouple operated with an amazing efficiency of 14 percent with a Th of 250 degrees C. Thermoelectric modules made according to the present invention are useful for both cooling applications as well as electric power generation. This preferred embodiment is a thermoelectric 10횞10 egg crate type module about 6 cm횞6 cm횞0.76 cm designed to produce 70 Watts with a temperature difference of 300 degrees C with a module efficiency of about 30 percent.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A thermoelectric module comprised of: A) a plurality of n-legs comprised of very thin alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium; and B) a plurality of p-legs comprised of very thin alternating layers of boron carbide comprise two different stoichiometric forms of boron carbid

We claim: 1. A thermoelectric module comprised of: A) a plurality of n-legs comprised of very thin alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium; and B) a plurality of p-legs comprised of very thin alternating layers of boron carbide comprise two different stoichiometric forms of boron carbide; said p-legs and said n-legs being electrically connected to produce said thermoelectric module. 2. A thermoelectric module as in claim 1, wherein said two different stoichiometric forms of boron carbide are B4C and B 9C. 3. A thermoelectric module as in claim 1, wherein said alternating layers are deposited on a substrate. 4. A thermoelectric module as in claim 3, wherein said substrate is silicon. 5. A thermoelectric module as in claim 3, wherein said substrate is silicon film. 6. A thermoelectric module as in claim 3, wherein said substrate is a polyimide substrate. 7. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein said very thin alternating layers are about 100 Angstroms thick. 8. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein said very thin alternating layers are each less than 200 Angstroms thick. 9. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein said very thin alternating layers are each less than 100 Angstoms thick. 10. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein said very thin alternating layers is about 3 million layers. 11. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein said very thin alternating layers more than 1 million layers. 12. A thermoelectric element as in claim 1, wherein of very thin alternating layers is at least 1250 layers. 13. A method of producing thermoelectric modules comprising the steps of: A) depositing on a thin substrate a very large number of very thin alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium to form a Si/SiGe thermoelectric film; B) forming a stack of said Si/SiGe films produced as in step A), C) producing a plurality of Si/SiGe thermoelectric n-legs from said stacks of Si/SiGe films, D) depositing on a thin substrate a very large number of very thin alternating layers of B4C and B9C to form a B 4C/B9C thermoelectric film; E) forming a stack of said B4C/B9C films produced as in step A), F) producing a plurality of B4C/B9C thermoelectric p-legs from said stacks of B4C/B9C films, G) forming a thermoelectric module from said plurality of Si/SiGe thermoelectric n-legs and said plurality of B4C/B 9C thermoelectric legs, said p-legs and said n-legs being electrically connected to produce said thermoelectric module.