US Patent 7834264 - Heterostructure nanowire thermoelectrics

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7834264.html

This patent from the Regents of the University of California has an early priority date (3/30/2001) and includes some basic claims to nanomaterials used in thermoelectric energy production. Claim 1 reads:

1. A thermoelectric device, comprising:

a matrix disposed on a substrate;

the matrix comprising one or more inorganic nanowires embedded within a dielectric material;

wherein the one or more nanowires comprise coaxial heterostructure nanowires.