PIEZOELECTRIC AND SEMICONDUCTING COUPLED NANOGENERATORS
First Claim
1. An electrical generator, comprising:
- a. a first substrate;
b. a semiconductor piezoelectric structure having a first end and an opposite second end, the second end disposed adjacent to the first substrate, the structure having a flexibility so that the structure bends when a force is applied adjacent to the first end, thereby causing an electrical potential difference to exist between a first side of the semiconductor piezoelectric structure and a second side of the semiconductor piezoelectric structure at a portion of the first end;
c. a first conductive contact disposed so as to be in electrical communication with the first end, the first conductive contact consisting essentially of a material that creates a Schottky barrier between a portion of the first end of the structure and the first conductive contact, the first conductive contact also disposed relative to the structure in a position so that the Schottky barrier is forward biased when the structure is deformed thereby allowing current to flow from the first conductive contact into the first end; and
d. a second conductive contact disposed so as to be in electrical communication with the second end.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical generator includes a substrate, a semiconductor piezoelectric structure having a first end and an opposite second end disposed adjacent to the substrate, a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact. The structure bends when a force is applied adjacent to the first end, thereby causing an electrical potential difference to exist between a first side and a second side of the structure. The first conductive contact is in electrical communication with the first end and includes a material that creates a Schottky barrier between a portion of the first end of the structure and the first conductive contact. The first conductive contact is also disposed relative to the structure in a position so that the Schottky barrier is forward biased when the structure is deformed, thereby allowing current to flow from the first conductive contact into the first end.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An electrical generator, comprising:
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a. a first substrate; b. a semiconductor piezoelectric structure having a first end and an opposite second end, the second end disposed adjacent to the first substrate, the structure having a flexibility so that the structure bends when a force is applied adjacent to the first end, thereby causing an electrical potential difference to exist between a first side of the semiconductor piezoelectric structure and a second side of the semiconductor piezoelectric structure at a portion of the first end; c. a first conductive contact disposed so as to be in electrical communication with the first end, the first conductive contact consisting essentially of a material that creates a Schottky barrier between a portion of the first end of the structure and the first conductive contact, the first conductive contact also disposed relative to the structure in a position so that the Schottky barrier is forward biased when the structure is deformed thereby allowing current to flow from the first conductive contact into the first end; and d. a second conductive contact disposed so as to be in electrical communication with the second end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of making an electrical generator, comprising the actions of:
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a. growing a semiconductor piezoelectric structure from a first substrate; and b. placing a first conductive contact in a position relative to the semiconductor piezoelectric structure so that when the semiconductor piezoelectric structure bends, the first conductive contact becomes in electrical communication with a portion of the semiconductor piezoelectric structure so as to form a forward-biased Schottky barrier therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of making a sheet electrical generator, comprising the actions of:
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a. growing a plurality of semiconductor piezoelectric structures upwardly from a substrate; b. depositing a first deformable layer onto the substrate to a level so that the deformable layer surrounds each of the plurality of semiconductor piezoelectric structures to a predetermined level; and c. depositing a conductive contact layer above the deformable insulating layer so that the conductive layer is in electrical communication with the plurality of semiconductor piezoelectric structures when a downward force is applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification