Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Alphabet Energy, Inc.

Barbara Wacker

Yi Zhang

Carlos Dangelo

Ephraim Suhir

Subrata Dey

Peter V Schwartz

Mario Aguirre

Bala Padmakumar

Yuan Xu

Darin Olsen

Arthur Boren

Nanostructured thermoelectric elements are made from planar uniwafer processing methods. The method includes producing either n-type or p-type thermoelectric uniwafer structure bearing nanostructure material embedded in a low thermal conductivity fill material. The method further includes partially cutting the uniwafer structure to form a plurality of chip structures separated by trenches. The method includes filling the trenches with the fill material to surround the nanostructure material within each chip structure. The method further includes additionally planar processing to form both frontend and backend conductive contact layers respectively coupled to frontend regions and backend regions of the chip structures. Additionally, the modified thermoelectric uniwafer structure is cut to turn the chip structures to bulk-sized nanostructured thermoelectric legs, each bulk-sized nanostructured thermoelectric leg being wrapped around by the fill material and ready for assembling thermoelectric modules.

Nanostructured thermolectric elements and methods of making the same

One aspect of the invention includes a copper substrate; a catalyst on top of the copper substrate surface; and a thermal interface material that comprises a layer containing carbon nanotubes that contacts the catalyst. The carbon nanotubes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the surface of the copper substrate. A Raman spectrum of the layer containing carbon nanotubes has a D peak at &#x2dc;1350 cmwith an intensity ID, a G peak at &#x2dc;1585 cmwith an intensity IG, and an intensity ratio I/Iof less than 0.7 at a laser excitation wavelength of 514 nm. The thermal interface material has: a bulk thermal resistance, a contact resistance at an interface between the thermal interface material and the copper substrate, and a contact resistance at an interface between the thermal interface material and a solid-state device. A summation of these resistances has a value of 0.06 cmK/W or less.

Carbon nanotube-based structures and methods for removing heat from solid-state devices

Growing community of inventors

Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Barbara Wacker