Laminated thin film metal-semiconductor multilayers for thermoelectrics

摘要

A thermoelectric segment and a method for fabricating. The fabricating includes forming structures by depositing thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers on substrates and depositing metal layers on the multilayers, joining metal bonding layers to form dual structures with combined bonding layers; and removing at least one of the substrates; and using the dual structure to form a thermoelectric segments. The method can include dicing the dual structures before or after removing the substrates. The method can include depositing additional bonding layers and joining dual structures to make thermoelectric segments of different thicknesses. Each multilayer can be about 5-10 μm thick. Each bonding layer can be about 1-2 μm thick. The bonding layers can be made of a material having high thermal and electrical conductivity. The multilayers can be (Hf,Zr,Ti,W)N/(Sc,Y,La,Ga,In,Al)N superlattice layers. Metal nitride layers can be deposited between each of the bonding layers and multilayers.

主权项

1. A thermoelectric segment comprising:
a plurality of bilayers; and a plurality of metal bonding layers, a respective metal bonding layer being between each respective pair of the plurality bilayers; wherein each respective bilayer comprises a pair of respective thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers, each positioned on opposite sides of respective metal bond layer; wherein each respective multilayer includes a plurality of metal layers and a plurality of alternating semiconductor layers; wherein respective semiconducting layers are disposed between two respective metal layers; wherein respective metal layers are disposed between two semiconducting layers; wherein each respective metal bonding layer is adjacent a layer selected from the group comprising bilayers, metal bonding layers and air; wherein the maximum distance between two metal bonding layers is between 50 μm and 200 μm; and wherein the plurality of thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers are of the form XN/QN superlattice layers, where X is selected from the group comprising Hf, Zr, Ti, W and combinations thereof, and Q is selected from the group comprising Sc, Y, La, Ga, In, Al and combinations thereof.