FABRICATION OF NANOSCALE THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES

• US 20050112872A1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kohler, Timothy L., Okamura, Yoshimasa
• Granted Patent: US 6,969,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/666
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/833 Thermal property of nanomaterial, e.g. thermally conducting/insulating or exhibiting peltier or seebeck effect

Abstract

In a method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device, a first electrode pattern is formed on a substrate, wherein the first electrode pattern includes bottom electrodes and a first set of connections which connects the bottom electrodes to form first and second groups of electrically connected bottom electrodes. P-type nanowires and n-type nanowires are selectively formed on the substrate by selectively activating either the first group of electrically connected bottom electrodes and the second group. The p-type and n-type nanowires are then connected by top electrodes. A first set of holes in the substrate is formed to remove the first set of connections. A second set of holes to allow for electrical access to the bottom electrodes, and a second set of connections are formed, so as to result in an array of thermocouples connected to each other in parallel banks of series-connected thermocouples.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate upon which to grow nanowires;

forming a first electrode pattern on a top surface of the substrate, wherein the first electrode pattern comprises bottom electrodes and a first set of connections which connects the bottom electrodes to form first and second groups of electrically connected bottom electrodes;

forming a p-type nanowire on the substrate by activating the first group of electrically connected bottom electrodes during p-type material electrodeposition;

forming a n-type nanowire on the substrate by activating the second group of electrically connected bottom electrodes during n-type material electrodeposition;

forming top electrodes to connect the p-type nanowire to the n-type nanowire;

forming a first set of holes in the substrate to remove the first set of connections between the bottom electrodes;

forming a second set of holes in the substrate to allow for electrical access to the bottom electrodes; and

forming a second bottom electrode pattern wherein the second bottom electrode pattern comprises the bottom electrodes and a second set of connections between the bottom electrodes, and &

herein the second bottom electrode pattern is formed using the second set of holes.

2. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein the holes are keystone shaped.

3. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of disposing a nanopore formation layer on the substrate and forming nanopores in the nanopore formation layer after the nanopore formation layer is disposed on the substrate.

4. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 3, wherein the nanopores in the nanopore formation layer are registered to the bottom electrodes.

5. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 3, wherein the nanopore formation layer comprises Al and anodic oxidation is used to create nanopores within the nanopore formation layer.

6. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 5, wherein the nanopore formation layer is removed prior to completion of the thermoelectric device.

7. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 6, wherein the nanopore formation layer is not removed until after the second electrode pattern is formed.

8. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein either the p-type nanowire or the n-type nanowire is formed prior to the formation of another type of nanowire.

9. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 1, wherein many thermocouples are formed and are connected in series and/or parallel by the second bottom electrode pattern.

10. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 9, wherein the thermocouples form banks of series connected thermocouples and the banks of series connected thermocouples are connected in parallel.

11. The method for fabricating a nanowire thermoelectric device according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of encapsulating the substrate and nanowire thermocouples to form a nanowire thermoelectric module,

and creating a vacuum around the nanowires.

12. (canceled)