Bulk nano-ribbon and/or nano-porous structures for thermoelectric devices and methods for making the same
View Patent ↗Structure including nano-ribbons and method thereof. The structure include multiple nano-ribbons. Each of the multiple nano-ribbons corresponds to a first end and a second end, and the first end and the second end are separated by a first distance of at least 100 μm. Each of the multiple nano-ribbons corresponds to a cross-sectional area associated with a ribbon thickness, and the ribbon thickness ranges from 5 nm to 500 nm. Each of the multiple nano-ribbons is separated from at least another nano-ribbon selected from the multiple nano-ribbons by a second distance ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.
1. A structure including nano-ribbons, the structure comprising:
multiple nano-ribbons, each of the multiple nano-ribbons corresponding to a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being separated by a first distance of at least 100 μm;
wherein:
each of the multiple nano-ribbons corresponds to a cross-sectional area associated with a ribbon thickness, the ribbon thickness ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm; and
each of the multiple nano-ribbons is separated from at least another nano-ribbon selected from the multiple nano-ribbons by a second distance ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.
2. The structure of claim 1 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbons includes one or more semiconductor materials.
3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the one or more semiconductor materials are doped.
4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the one or more semiconductor materials are silicon.
5. The structure of claim 1 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbons is separated from at least another nano-ribbon selected from the multiple nano-ribbons by one or more separation regions associated with the second distance.
6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the one or more separation regions are filled with one or more fill materials.
7. The structure of claim 6 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbons includes one or more semiconductor materials different from the one or more fill materials.
8. The structure of claim 1 wherein all of the multiple nano-ribbons are substantially parallel to each other.
9. The structure of claim 8 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbons corresponds to the first end at a first surface and is substantially perpendicular to the first surface.
10. The structure of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along a height direction for each of the multiple nano-ribbons.
11. The structure of claim 1 wherein the multiple nano-ribbons are parts of a thermoelectric device.
12. The structure of claim 1 wherein the first distance is at least 250 μm.
13. The structure of claim 12 wherein the first distance is at least 400 μm.
14. The structure of claim 13 wherein the first distance is at least 500 μm.
15. The structure of claim 1 wherein the multiple nano-ribbons include multiple roughened sidewall surfaces respectively.
16. The structure of claim 1 wherein the multiple nano-ribbons include multiple nanoholes through corresponding nano-ribbons in corresponding sidewalls respectively.
17. The structure of claim 16 wherein the multiple nano-ribbons further include multiple roughened sidewall surfaces respectively.
18. A structure including one or more nano-ribbons, the structure comprising:
a nano-ribbon including multiple nano-ribbon parts, each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts corresponding to a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end being separated by a first distance of at least 100 μm;
wherein:
each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts corresponds to a cross-sectional area associated with a thickness, the thickness ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm; and
each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts is separated from at least another nano-ribbon part selected from the multiple nano-ribbon parts by a second distance ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.
19. The structure of claim 18 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts includes one or more semiconductor materials.
20. The structure of claim 19 wherein the one or more semiconductor materials are doped.
21. The structure of claim 19 wherein the one or more semiconductor materials are silicon.
22. The structure of claim 18 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts is separated from at least another nano-ribbon part selected from the multiple nano-ribbon parts by one or more separation regions associated with the second distance.
23. The structure of claim 22 wherein the one or more separation regions are filled with one or more fill materials.
24. The structure of claim 23 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts includes one or more semiconductor materials different from the one or more fill materials.
25. The structure of claim 18 wherein all of the multiple nano-ribbon parts are substantially parallel to each other.
26. The structure of claim 25 wherein each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts corresponds to the first end at a first surface and is substantially perpendicular to the first surface.
27. The structure of claim 18 wherein the cross-sectional area is substantially uniform along a height direction for each of the multiple nano-ribbon parts.
28. The structure of claim 18 wherein the multiple nano-ribbon parts are parts of a thermoelectric device.
29. The structure of claim 18 wherein the first distance is at least 250 μm.
30. The structure of claim 29 wherein the first distance is at least 400 μm.
31. The structure of claim 30 wherein the first distance is at least 500 μm.
32. The structure of claim 18 wherein the multiple nano-ribbon parts include multiple roughened sidewall surfaces respectively.
33. The structure of claim 18 wherein the multiple nano-ribbon parts include multiple nanoholes through corresponding nano-ribbon parts in corresponding sidewalls respectively.
34. The structure of claim 33 wherein the multiple nano-ribbon parts further include multiple roughened sidewall surfaces respectively.
35. A porous structure, the structure comprising:
a porous semiconductor substrate including multiple first voids, the multiple first voids being connected with each other;
wherein:
each of the multiple first voids corresponds to a first cross-sectional area associated with a first distance across, the first distance across ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm; and
each of the multiple first voids is separated from at least another void by a first distance ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.
36. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein at least one of the multiple first voids is completely surrounded by one or more solid materials of the porous semiconductor substrate.
37. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein at least one of the multiple first voids is open to an area outside the porous semiconductor substrate.
38. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein:
the porous semiconductor substrate further includes one or more second voids, each of the one or more second voids not being connected with any void;
wherein:
each of the one or more second voids corresponds to a second cross-sectional area associated with a second distance across, the second distance across ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm; and
each of the one or more second voids is separated from at least another void by a second distance ranging from 5 nm to 500 nm.
39. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein the multiple first voids include multiple nanoholes.
40. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein the porous semiconductor substrate is doped.
41. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein the porous semiconductor substrate includes silicon.
42. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein the multiple first voids are filled with one or more fill materials.
43. The porous structure of claim 42 wherein the porous semiconductor substrate includes one or more semiconductor materials different from the one or more fill materials.
44. The porous structure of claim 35 wherein the porous semiconductor substrate is a part of a thermoelectric device.