Diode energy converter for chemical kinetic electron energy transfer

• US 7,371,962 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoKismet, LLC
• Inventors: Gidwani, Jawahar M., Zuppero, Anthony C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARTON, JEFFREY THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US10/759,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 136/252, 136/253, 136/255, 310/300, 310/314, 310/322, 607/21, 605/32
• US Class Current: 136/252
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66 Types of semiconductor device ; Multistep manufacturing processes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/861 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/186 Vibration harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An improved diode energy converter for chemical kinetic electron energy transfer is formed using nanostructures and includes identifiable regions associated with chemical reactions isolated chemically from other regions in the converter, a region associated with an area that forms energy barriers of the desired height, a region associated with tailoring the boundary between semiconductor material and metal materials so that the junction does not tear apart, and a region associated with removing heat from the semiconductor.

Claims

1. An electric generator converting pre-equilibrium chemical reaction product energy into electrical potential, comprising:

a junction of a semiconductor and a conductor material,

a stabilizing interlayer conductor formed on the conductor material that physically isolates chemical reactants from the junction;

a conducting surface formed on the stabilizing interlayer conductor, the conducting surface formed from one or more nanostructures in contact with or near a region containing chemical reaction products; and

a tailoring material on which the conductor material is formed arranged to prevent junction tearing and to form a uniform diode;

wherein the tailoring material is formed on the semiconductor,

where the conductor material, the stabilizing interlayer conductor, the conducting surface, and the tailoring material are ballistic charge carrier conductors.

2. The electric generator of claim 1, further including a substrate on which the semiconductor is formed, wherein the substrate has a region in thermal contact with the flow of the chemical reactants.

3. The electric generator of claim 2, wherein the substrate includes at least a heat conducting substrate in thermal contact with the region in thermal contact with the flow of the chemical reactants.