US Patent 7098393 - Thermoelectric Nanowires Formed from Bi/Te Alloy
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7098393.pdf
AAO (anodic aluminum oxide) templates are a very popular way to create uniform arrays of vertically oriented nanowires and nanotubes. This patent from Caltech teaches using AAO templates to form efficient thermoelectric energy convertors from Bi/Te alloy nanowires. Claim 1 and 9 are representative.
1. A thermoelectric device, comprising: a porous semiconductor having pores therein; a plurality of discrete thermoelectric nanowires formed in said pores of said porous semiconductor, each of the nanowires formed of a Bi/Te alloy, and each having an outer extent of a size at which thermoelectrically significant quantum confinement effects occur, said plurality of thermoelectric nanowires connected to one another to form an operative thermoelectric device.
13. A thermoelectric device, comprising: a porous substrate, having pores therein; a plurality of thermoelectric nanowires, formed in said pores of said porous substrate, each having an outer extent of less than approximately 100 nm, connected to one another to form an operative thermoelectric device.
AAO (anodic aluminum oxide) templates are a very popular way to create uniform arrays of vertically oriented nanowires and nanotubes. This patent from Caltech teaches using AAO templates to form efficient thermoelectric energy convertors from Bi/Te alloy nanowires. Claim 1 and 9 are representative.
1. A thermoelectric device, comprising: a porous semiconductor having pores therein; a plurality of discrete thermoelectric nanowires formed in said pores of said porous semiconductor, each of the nanowires formed of a Bi/Te alloy, and each having an outer extent of a size at which thermoelectrically significant quantum confinement effects occur, said plurality of thermoelectric nanowires connected to one another to form an operative thermoelectric device.
13. A thermoelectric device, comprising: a porous substrate, having pores therein; a plurality of thermoelectric nanowires, formed in said pores of said porous substrate, each having an outer extent of less than approximately 100 nm, connected to one another to form an operative thermoelectric device.
posted by blaisemouttet at 12:33 AM
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