Thermoelectric module with Si/SiC and B.sub.4 C/B.sub.9 C super-lattice legs
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United States of America Patent
Stats
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Mar 11, 2008
Grant Date -
Feb 10, 2005
app pub date -
Apr 5, 2004
filing date -
Dec 12, 2001
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device is comprised of p-legs and n-legs, each leg being comprised of a large number of very thin alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of Si and SiC. The p-legs are comprised of alternating layers of B.sub.4C and B.sub.9C. In preferred embodiments the layers are about 100 angstroms thick. 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 10.times.10 egg crate type module about 6 cm.times.6 cm.times.0.76 cm designed to produce 70 Watts with a temperature difference of 300 degrees C. with a module efficiency of about 30 percent. The module has 98 active thermoelectric legs, with each leg having more than 3 million super-lattice layers.
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Patent Citation Ranking
- 14 Citation Count
- H01L Class
- 41.31 % this patent is cited more than
- 17 Age
