IP Library › Patent Application 14517345
Patent Application
App. No. 14/517,345

IV-VI AND III-V QUANTUM DOT STRUCTURES IN A V-VI MATRIX

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
14/517,345
Abstract

A thermoelectric material and methods of manufacturing thereof are disclosed. In general, the thermoelectric material comprises a Group V-VI host, or matrix, material and Group III-V or Group IV-VI nanoinclusions within the Group V-VI host material. By incorporating the Group III-V or Group IV-VI nanoinclusions into the Group V-VI host material, the performance of the thermoelectric material can be improved.

Claims (38)

1 . A thermoelectric material comprising:

a Group V-VI host material; and

nanoinclusions within the Group V-VI host material, the nanoinclusions comprising one of a group consisting of: Group III-V nanoinclusions and Group IV-VI nanoinclusions.

2 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise Group III-V nanoinclusions.

3 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise Group IV-VI nanoinclusions.

4 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

5 . The thermoelectric material of claim 4 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise nanoinclusions of the alloy of InSb, and the alloy of InSb is In 1-X Ga X Sb, where 0<X<1.

6 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Lead Telluride (PbTe) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

7 . The thermoelectric material of claim 6 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise nanoinclusions of the alloy of PbTe, and the alloy of PbTe is one of a group consisting of: PbTe 1-X Se X , Pb 1-X Ge X Te Y Se 1-Y, Pb 1-X Sn X Te Y Se 1-Y , and Pb 1-X Sr X Te Y Se 1-Y , where 0<X<1 and where 0<Y<1.

8 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Bismuth Selenide (Bi 2 Te 3 ) or an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3 .

9 . The thermoelectric material of claim 8 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

10 . The thermoelectric material of claim 8 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Lead Telluride (PbTe) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

11 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Antimony Telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ) or an alloy of Sb 2 Te 3 .

12 . The thermoelectric material of claim 11 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

13 . The thermoelectric material of claim 11 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of PbTe and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

14 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 or an alloy of Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 .

15 . The thermoelectric material of claim 14 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

16 . The thermoelectric material of claim 14 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Lead Telluride (PbTe) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

17 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X or an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X .

18 . The thermoelectric material of claim 17 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

19 . The thermoelectric material of claim 17 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Lead Telluride (PbTe) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

20 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein a lattice mismatch between the Group V-VI host material and a material used for the nanoinclusions is greater than 4%.

21 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein a lattice mismatch between the Group V-VI host material and a material used for the nanoinclusions is greater than 5%.

22 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein a lattice mismatch between the Group V-VI host material and a material used for the nanoinclusions is greater than 6%.

23 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein a lattice mismatch between the Group V-VI host material and a material used for the nanoinclusions is greater than 7%.

24 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions form a random structure within the Group V-VI host material.

25 . The thermoelectric material of claim 1 wherein the nanoinclusions form an ordered structure within the Group V-VI host material.

26 . A method of fabricating a thermoelectric material, comprising:

providing a first layer of a Group V-VI host material;

depositing a layer of nanoinclusions on a surface of the first layer of the Group V-VI host material, the nanoinclusions comprising one of a group consisting of: Group III-V nanoinclusions and Group IV-VI nanoinclusions; and

depositing a second layer of the Group V-VI host material over the layer of nanoinclusions.

27 . The method of claim 26 further comprising:

depositing a second layer of nanoinclusions on a surface of the second layer of the Group V-VI host material; and

depositing a third layer of the Group V-VI host material over the second layer of nanoinclusions.

28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Indium Antimonide (InSb) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of InSb.

29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Bismuth Telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ), an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3 , Antimony Telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ), an alloy of Sb 2 Te 3 , Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 , an alloy of Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 , Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X , and an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X .

30 . The method of claim 26 wherein the nanoinclusions comprise one of a group consisting of: nanoinclusions of Lead Telluride (PbTe) and nanoinclusions of an alloy of PbTe.

31 . The method of claim 30 wherein the Group V-VI host material is one of a group consisting of: Bismuth Telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 ), an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3 , Antimony Telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ), an alloy of Sb 2 Te 3 , Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 , an alloy of Bi X Sb 2-X Te 3 , Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X , and an alloy of Bi 2 Te 3-X Se X .

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2026
From: PHONONIC, INC.
To: DOUBLE HELIX PTE LTD, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 075068/0485 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2026
From: PHONONIC, INC.
To: TOP CORNER CAPITAL II LP
Reel/Frame 074811/0453 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 033973 FRAME 0531. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 14, 2017
From: CAYLOR, JAMES CHRISTOPHER; WELLENIUS, IAN PATRICK; CHARLES, WILLIAM O.; CANTU, PABLO; GRAY, ALLEN L.
To: PHONONIC DEVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 043865/0974 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2014
From: CAYLOR, JAMES CHRISTOPHER; WELLENIUS, IAN PATRICK; CHARLES, WILLIAM O.; CANTU, PABLO; GRAY, ALLEN L.
To: PHONONIC DEVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033973/0531 →