公开(公告)号：US20110284048A1

公开(公告)日：2011-11-24

申请号：US13073102

申请日：2011-03-28

申请人： Frank HAASS ,  Norbert B. ELSNER ,  Laverne Elsner ,  Saeid GHAMATY ,  Daniel KROMMENHOEK

发明人： Frank HAASS ,  Norbert B. ELSNER ,  Laverne Elsner ,  Saeid GHAMATY ,  Daniel KROMMENHOEK

IPC分类号： H01L35/12 ,  H01L35/34

CPC分类号： H01L35/26 ,  H01L29/155 ,  H01L29/245 ,  H01L35/14

摘要： A multi-layer superlattice quantum well thermoelectric material comprising at least 10 alternating layers has a layer thickness of each less than 50 nm, the alternating layers being electrically conducting and barrier layers, wherein the layer structure shows no discernible interdiffusion leading to a break-up or dissolution of the layer boundaries upon heat treatment at a temperature in the range from 50 to 150° C. for a time of at least 100 hours and the concentration of doping materials in the conducting layers is 1018 to 1023 cm−3 and in the barrier layers is 1013 to 1018 cm−3.

摘要翻译： 包括至少10个交替层的多层超晶格量子阱热电材料具有每个小于50nm的层厚度，所述交替层是导电和阻挡层，其中所述层结构没有显示出可辨别的相互扩散，导致破裂 或在50〜150℃的温度下热处理时的层边界溶解至少100小时，导电层中的掺杂材料的浓度为1018〜1023cm-3，在 阻挡层为1013〜1018cm-3。

公开(公告)号：US20110100408A1

公开(公告)日：2011-05-05

申请号：US12655793

申请日：2010-01-06

申请人： Aleksandr Kushch ,  Frederick A. Leavitt ,  Daniel Krommenhoek ,  Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner

发明人： Aleksandr Kushch ,  Frederick A. Leavitt ,  Daniel Krommenhoek ,  Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner

IPC分类号： H01L35/30 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L35/34

CPC分类号： H01L35/34 ,  C23C14/20 ,  C23C14/352 ,  C23C14/562 ,  F25B2321/023 ,  H01L35/22 ,  H01L35/32

摘要： A thermoelectric module comprised of a quantum well thermoelectric material with low thermal conductivity and low electrical resitivity (high conductivity) for producing n-legs and p-legs for thermoelectric modules. These qualities are achieved by fabricating crystalline quantum well super-lattice layers on a substrate material having very low thermal conductivity. Prior to depositing the super-lattice thermoelectric layers the low thermal conductivity substrate is coated with a thin layer of crystalline semi-conductor material, preferably silicon. This greatly improves the thermoelectric quality of the super-lattice quantum well layers. In preferred embodiments the super-lattice layers are about 4 nm to 20 nm thick. In preferred embodiments about 100 to 1000 of these super-lattice layers are deposited on each substrate layer, to provide films of super-lattice layers with thicknesses of in the range of about 0.4 microns to about 20 microns on much thicker substrates. The substrates may be a few microns to a few millimeters thick. The thermoelectric films are then stacked and fabricated into thermoelectric p-legs and n-legs which in turn are fabricated into thermoelectric modules. These layers of quantum well material may in preferred embodiments be separated by much thicker layers of thermal and electrical insulating material such that the volume of insulating material in each leg is at least 20 times larger than the volume of quantum well material.

摘要翻译： 由热导率低的量子阱热电材料和低电阻率（高导电性）组成的热电模块，用于产生用于热电模块的n型腿和p型腿。 这些质量通过在具有非常低的热导率的衬底材料上制造结晶量子阱超晶格层来实现。 在沉积超晶格热电层之前，低导热性衬底被涂覆有薄的晶体半导体材料，优选硅。 这大大提高了超晶格量子阱层的热电质量。 在优选实施例中，超晶格层约为4nm至20nm厚。 在优选实施例中，在每个衬底层上沉积约100至1000个这些超晶格层，以在更厚的衬底上提供厚度在约0.4微米至约20微米范围内的超晶格层的膜。 衬底可以是几微米到几毫米厚。 然后将热电膜堆叠并制造成热电p支脚和n支脚，其又被制造成热电模块。 量子阱材料的这些层可以在优选的实施方案中由较厚的热和电绝缘材料层隔开，使得每个支脚中的绝缘材料的体积比量子阱材料的体积至少大20倍。

公开(公告)号：US20100229911A1

公开(公告)日：2010-09-16

申请号：US12590653

申请日：2009-11-12

申请人： Frederick A. Leavitt ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass ,  John W. McCoy

发明人： Frederick A. Leavitt ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass ,  John W. McCoy

IPC分类号： H01L35/20

CPC分类号： H01L35/32 ,  H01L35/16 ,  H01L35/34

摘要： A long life, low cost, high-temperature, high efficiency thermoelectric module. Preferred embodiments include a two-part (a high temperature part and a cold temperature part) egg-crate and segmented N legs and P legs, with the thermoelectric materials in the three segments chosen for their chemical compatibility or their figure of merit in the various temperature ranges between the hot side and the cold side of the module. The legs include metal meshes partially embedded in thermoelectric segments to help maintain electrical contacts notwithstanding substantial temperature variations. In preferred embodiments a two-part molded egg-crate holds in place and provides insulation and electrical connections for the thermoelectric N legs and P legs. The high temperature part of the egg-crate is comprised of a ceramic material capable of operation at temperatures in excess of 500° C. and the cold temperature part is comprised of a thermoplastic material having very low thermal conductivity.

摘要翻译： 寿命长，成本低，高温，高效率的热电模块。 优选实施例包括两部分（高温部分和冷温部分）蛋箱和分段的N腿和P腿，其中三个部分中的热电材料被选择用于它们的化学相容性或其各种品质因数 模块的热侧和冷端之间的温度范围。 腿部包括部分地嵌入热电段中的金属网，以帮助维持电接触，尽管有相当大的温度变化。 在优选实施例中，两部分模制蛋箱保持就位并为热电N腿和P腿提供绝缘和电连接。 蛋箱的高温部分由能够在超过500℃的温度下操作的陶瓷材料组成，并且冷温部分由具有非常低导热性的热塑性材料组成。

公开(公告)号：US07342170B2

公开(公告)日：2008-03-11

申请号：US10818130

申请日：2004-04-05

申请人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass

发明人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass

IPC分类号： H01L35/12

CPC分类号： H01L35/22 ,  H01L35/26 ,  H01L35/34

摘要： A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device is comprised of p-legs and n-legs, each leg being comprised of a large number of very thin alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of Si and SiC. The p-legs are comprised of alternating layers of B4C and B9C. In preferred embodiments the layers are about 100 angstroms thick. Thermoelectric modules made according to the present invention are useful for both cooling applications as well as electric power generation. This preferred embodiment is a thermoelectric 10×10 egg crate type module about 6 cm×6 cm×0.76 cm designed to produce 70 Watts with a temperature difference of 300 degrees C. with a module efficiency of about 30 percent. The module has 98 active thermoelectric legs, with each leg having more than 3 million super-lattice layers.

摘要翻译： 超晶格热电器件。 该装置由p腿和n腿组成，每个腿由大量具有不同电子带隙的两种材料的非常薄的交替层组成。 器件中的n脚由Si和SiC的交替层组成。 P腿由B 4 C和B 9 C的交替层组成。 在优选的实施方案中，这些层是约100埃厚。 根据本发明制造的热电模块对于冷却应用以及发电都是有用的。 该优选实施例是一种约6cm×6cm×0.76cm的热电10×10蛋箱型模块，其设计为产生70瓦，温度差为300摄氏度，模块效率约为30％。 该模块具有98个活动热电腿，每个支腿具有超过3百万个超格子层。

公开(公告)号：US06519947B1

公开(公告)日：2003-02-18

申请号：US09919246

申请日：2001-07-31

申请人： John C. Bass ,  Daniel T. Allen ,  Norbert B. Elsner

发明人： John C. Bass ,  Daniel T. Allen ,  Norbert B. Elsner

IPC分类号： F25B2102

CPC分类号： H01L35/30 ,  H01L35/32

摘要： A low-cost thermoelectric module utilizing a greatly reduced quantity of thermoelectric material as compared to similar prior art thermoelectric modules. An egg crate design containing thermoelectric elements is utilized in the present invention. However, the walls of the egg crate in the parts of the module separating the thermoelectric elements are made thick so that the total cross sectional area of the elements is less than 75 percent of the total module cross sectional area. The spaces above and below the elements are filled with a high heat and electric conducting material such as aluminum. This produces funnel-shaped conductors funneling heat and electric current into and out of each of the thermoelectric elements. The payoff to this approach is that the heat flux through the hot and cold module surfaces can be maintained while producing the same power output with about half the thermoelectric material or less. Avoiding any significant increase in heat flux through the module surface means avoiding increases in temperature drops normally encountered at the module surfaces.

摘要翻译： 与类似的现有技术的热电模块相比，一种低成本的热电模块利用大量减少的热电材料。 在本发明中使用含有热电元件的蛋箱设计。 然而，在分离热电元件的模块的部分中的蛋箱壁被制成较厚的部件，使得元件的总截面积小于总模块横截面面积的75％。 元件之上和之下的空间填充有高热导电材料，例如铝。 这产生漏斗形导体将热和电流漏入和流出每个热电元件。 这种方法的回报是通过热和冷模块表面的热通量可以被保持，同时产生具有大约一半的热电材料或更少的相同的功率输出。 避免通过模块表面的热通量的任何显着增加意味着避免模块表面通常遇到的温度下降的增加。

公开(公告)号：US06319437B1

公开(公告)日：2001-11-20

申请号：US09250148

申请日：1999-02-16

申请人： Norbert B. Elsner ,  Stanley Zalkind ,  Ian Sidney R. Clark ,  Fred Leavitt

发明人： Norbert B. Elsner ,  Stanley Zalkind ,  Ian Sidney R. Clark ,  Fred Leavitt

IPC分类号： B22F326

CPC分类号： C22C1/1036 ,  A63B53/047 ,  A63B53/0487 ,  A63B2053/0416 ,  A63B2209/00 ,  A63B2209/02 ,  B22F3/26 ,  B22F2998/10 ,  C22C2001/1021 ,  C22C2204/00 ,  B22F3/1121 ,  B22F7/062

摘要： A powder injection molding and infiltration process. A powder of a skeleton material having a relatively high melting point is mixed with a composite binder to form a mold mixture. The composite binder is comprised of at least two binder materials. The mold mixture is molded into a desired shape in a mold device to produce a molded part. The composite binder is then removed to produce voids in the molded part and the voids are filled by infiltrating an infiltrant comprised of an infiltrant material having a relatively low melting point to produce a composite molded part. In a preferred embodiment the skeleton material is TiB2 and the infiltrant material is aluminum and the composite binder is comprised of a plastic and a wax. In this embodiment the wax portion of the composite binder is removed using a solvent and the plastic is removed during the infiltration step. The resulting composite part has a TiB2 skeleton with voids substantially filled with aluminum. This process is especially useful for making light and strong parts with complex shapes such as golf club heads, tools, cutting implements, thermal management products, rocket motor components and bicycle parts. In another preferred embodiment, a golf club head is comprised of three parts: an non-sintered TiB2 part for the body of the head, a sintered TiB2 part for the striking surface of the head, and a heavy tungsten part to provide weight for the head. In this embodiment, the aluminum infiltrant substantially fills the voids in all three parts to create a golf club head with optimum characteristics.

摘要翻译： 粉末注射成型和渗透过程。 将具有较高熔点的骨架材料的粉末与复合粘合剂混合以形成模具混合物。 复合粘合剂由至少两种粘合剂材料组成。 将模具混合物在模具装置中模制成所需形状以制造模制件。 然后去除复合粘合剂以在模制部件中产生空隙，并且通过浸渍由具有相对低熔点的渗透材料组成的渗透剂来填充空隙以产生复合模制部件。 在优选的实施方案中，骨架材料是TiB 2，浸润材料是铝，复合粘合剂由塑料和蜡组成。 在该实施方案中，使用溶剂除去复合粘合剂的蜡部分，并且在渗透步骤期间除去塑料。 所得的复合部件具有基本上填充有铝的空隙的TiB2骨架。 该方法对于制造具有复杂形状的轻型和强力部件特别有用，例如高尔夫球杆头，工具，切割工具，热管理产品，火箭发动机部件和自行车部件。 在另一个优选实施例中，高尔夫球杆头由三部分组成：用于头部主体的非烧结TiB2部件，用于头部打击表面的烧结TiB2部件，以及重钨部件，用于为 头。 在该实施例中，铝浸渍剂基本上填满所有三个部分的空隙，以形成具有最佳特性的高尔夫球杆头。

公开(公告)号：US07038234B2

公开(公告)日：2006-05-02

申请号：US10818028

申请日：2004-04-05

申请人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass

发明人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  John C. Bass

IPC分类号： H01L29/09 ,  H01L31/328 ,  H01L31/336 ,  H01L31/72 ,  H01L31/109

CPC分类号： H01L35/22 ,  H01L29/155 ,  H01L35/26 ,  H01L35/32 ,  H01L35/34 ,  Y10S257/93

摘要： A super-lattice thermoelectric device. The device includes p-legs and n-legs, each leg having a large number of alternating layers of two materials with differing electron band gaps. The n-legs in the device are comprised of alternating layers of silicon and silicon germanium. The p-legs includes alternating layers of B4C and B9C. In preferred embodiments the layers are about 100 angstroms thick. Applicants have fabricated and tested a first Si/SiGe (n-leg) and B4C/B9C (p-leg) quantum well thermocouple. Each leg was only 11 microns thick on a 5 micron Si substrate. Nevertheless, in actual tests the thermocouple operated with an amazing efficiency of 14 percent with a Th of 250 degrees C. Thermoelectric modules made according to the present invention are useful for both cooling applications as well as electric power generation. This preferred embodiment is a thermoelectric 10×10 egg crate type module about 6 cm×6 cm×0.76 cm designed to produce 70 Watts with a temperature difference of 300 degrees C with a module efficiency of about 30 percent.

摘要翻译： 超晶格热电器件。 该装置包括p腿和n腿，每个腿具有大量具有不同电子带隙的两种材料的交替层。 器件中的n脚由硅和硅锗的交替层组成。 P腿包括B 4 C和B 9 C的交替层。 在优选的实施方案中，这些层是约100埃厚。 申请人已经制造和测试了第一Si / SiGe（n-leg）和B 4 C / B 9 C（p-leg）量子阱热电偶。 在5微米Si衬底上，每条腿仅为11微米厚。 然而，在实际测试中，热电偶以250摄氏度的T 达到惊人的14％的效率运行。根据本发明制造的热电模块可用于两个冷却应用以及电力 代。 该优选实施例是大约6cm×6cm×0.76cm的热电10×10蛋箱型模块，设计成产生70瓦，温度差为300摄氏度，模块效率约为30％。

公开(公告)号：US6096964A

公开(公告)日：2000-08-01

申请号：US192097

申请日：1998-11-13

申请人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner

发明人： Saeid Ghamaty ,  Norbert B. Elsner

IPC分类号： H01L35/22 ,  H01L35/26 ,  H01L35/00

CPC分类号： H01L35/22 ,  H01L35/26

摘要： Thermoelectric elements for use in a thermoelectric device. The thermoelectric elements have a very large number of alternating layers of semiconductor material deposited on a very thin flexible substrate. The layers of semiconductor material alternate between barrier semiconductor material and conducting semiconductor material creating quantum wells within the thin layers of conducting semiconductor material. The conducting semiconductor material is doped to create conducting properties. The substrate preferably should be very thin, a very good thermal and electrical insulator with good thermal stability and strong and flexible. In a preferred embodiment, the thin organic substrate is a thin polyimide film (specifically Kapton.RTM.) coated with an even thinner film of crystalline silicon. The substrate is about 0.3 mills (127 microns) thick. The crystalline silicon layer is about 0.1 micron thick. This embodiment includes on each side of the thin Kapton.RTM. substrate about 3,000 alternating layers of silicon and silicon-germanium, each layer being about 100 .ANG. and the total thickness of the layers being about 30 microns. Preferably, the silicon layer is applied in an amorphous form and heated to about 350.degree. C. to 375.degree. C. to crystallize it. In other preferred embodiments, the substrate material is thin films of other organic materials or thin films of inorganic materials such as silicon.

摘要翻译： 用于热电装置的热电元件。 热电元件具有非常大数量的沉积在非常薄的柔性基板上的半导体材料的交替层。 半导体材料层在阻挡半导体材料和导电半导体材料之间交替，在导电半导体材料的薄层内产生量子阱。 导电半导体材料被掺杂以产生导电性能。 基材优选应非常薄，是具有良好热稳定性和强韧性的非常好的热和电绝缘体。 在优选实施例中，薄有机基底是涂覆有更薄的晶体硅膜的薄聚酰亚胺膜（特别是Kapton TM）。 基底厚度约为0.3毫米（127微米）。 晶体硅层约0.1微米厚。 该实施例包括在薄Kapton TM衬底的每一侧上约3,000个交替层的硅和硅 - 锗，每层约为100，层的总厚度为约30微米。 优选地，将硅层以非晶形式施加并加热至约350℃至375℃以使其结晶。 在其它优选实施例中，衬底材料是其它有机材料的薄膜或无机材料如硅的薄膜。

公开(公告)号：US5875098A

公开(公告)日：1999-02-23

申请号：US823233

申请日：1997-03-24

申请人： Frederick A. Leavitt ,  John C. Bass ,  Norbert B. Elsner

发明人： Frederick A. Leavitt ,  John C. Bass ,  Norbert B. Elsner

IPC分类号： H01L35/32 ,  H01L35/34 ,  H05K7/20

CPC分类号： H01L35/32 ,  H01L35/34 ,  Y10S257/93

摘要： A thermoelectric module having a gapless insulating eggcrate providing insulated spaces for a large number of p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements. The absence of gaps in the walls of the spaces virtually eliminates the possibility of interwall shorts between the elements. Electrical connections on both the hot and cold sides of the module electrically connect the elements in series or in parallel as desired. Usually, most or all of the elements will be connected in series. In a preferred embodiment, the gapless eggcrate is formed from a high temperature plastic. In a preferred embodiment, two lead wires are added before adding the hot and cold side electrical connections. In this embodiment, electrical connections on the hot and cold sides comprise a thin layer of molybdenum and a coating of aluminum over the molybdenum. The surfaces are ground down to expose the insulating eggcrate walls except where connections between the elements are desired. In this preferred embodiment a seal is then applied over both the hot and cold surfaces. The seal preferably is comprised of a very thin electrically insulating layer and over this electrically insulating layer a thin metal layer is provided.

摘要翻译： 一种具有无间隙绝缘蛋鸡的热电模块，为大量p型和n型热电元件提供绝缘空间。 在空间的墙壁上没有间隙实际上消除了元件之间的内部短路的可能性。 模块的热端和冷端两侧的电气连接按需要串联或并联电连接。 通常，大部分或全部元素将被串联连接。 在优选的实施方案中，无缝隙的卵切屑由高温塑料形成。 在优选实施例中，在添加热侧和冷侧电连接之前，添加两根引线。 在该实施例中，热侧和冷侧的电连接包括钼层的薄层和在钼上的铝涂层。 表面被磨碎以露出绝缘蛋壳壁，除了需要元件之间的连接。 在该优选实施例中，然后将密封件施加在热表面和冷表面上。 密封件优选地由非常薄的电绝缘层构成，并且在该电绝缘层上设置有薄金属层。

公开(公告)号：US5753574A

公开(公告)日：1998-05-19

申请号：US716025

申请日：1996-09-16

申请人： Anthony Donaldson ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  Saeid Ghamaty

发明人： Anthony Donaldson ,  Norbert B. Elsner ,  Saeid Ghamaty

IPC分类号： C04B41/51 ,  C04B41/88 ,  C22C29/14 ,  H01B1/16 ,  C04B35/58

CPC分类号： C04B41/009 ,  C04B41/5116 ,  C04B41/5127 ,  C04B41/88 ,  C22C29/14 ,  H01B1/16 ,  C04B2111/94

摘要： A composition having an empirical formula MB.sub.2-z +N, wherein 0

摘要翻译： 具有经验式MB2-z + N的组合物，其中0