Wafer scale thermoelectric energy harvester having interleaved, opposing thermoelectric legs and manufacturing techniques therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10224474-B2
Application number	US-201514936450-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2013
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

An integrated circuit may include a substrate and a dielectric layer formed over the substrate. A plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements may be disposed within the dielectric layer that are connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements. The integrated circuit may include first and second substrates each having formed thereon a plurality of thermoelectric legs of a respective type of thermoelectric material. The first and second thermoelectric substrates also may have respective conductors, each coupled to a base of an associated thermoelectric leg and forming a mounting pad for coupling to a thermoelectric leg of the counterpart substrate. In other embodiments, one or more substrates may have trenches formed therein to capture eutectic material that facilitates bonds between components from each of the substrates and prevent inadvertent short circuits that may occur between components of the circuit system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermoelectric harvester for increasing electrical output, comprising:
a first substrate;
a first thermoelectric leg having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a first conductor on the first substrate coupled to the base of the first thermoelectric leg;
a second conductor at the top of the first thermoelectric leg;
a second substrate;
a second thermoelectric leg having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a third conductor on the second substrate coupled to the base of the second thermoelectric leg; and
a fourth conductor at the top of the second thermoelectric leg,
wherein the second conductor is physically connected to the third conductor.

2. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first and second thermoelectric legs are connected in series.

3. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third thermoelectric leg having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a fifth conductor on the first substrate coupled to the base of the third thermoelectric leg; and
a sixth conductor at the top of the third thermoelectric leg,
wherein the fourth conductor is physically connected to the fifth conductor.

4. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoelectric leg is of a first type of thermoelectric material, and the first type of thermoelectric material overlays a first support having lower thermal conductivity than the first type of thermoelectric material.

5. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 4 , wherein the support is formed as an island supporting the first thermoelectric leg.

6. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 4 , wherein the support is formed as a row supporting a plurality of thermoelectric legs of the first type of thermoelectric material.

7. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 4 , wherein the second thermoelectric leg is of a second type of thermoelectric material, and the second type of thermoelectric material overlays a second support having lower thermal conductivity than the second type of thermoelectric material.

8. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor is electrically isolated from the first substrate and the third conductor is electrically isolated from the second substrate.

9. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate includes trenches in a surface thereof between the first conductor and an adjacent conductor.

10. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical circuit formed on the first substrate or the second substrate that is configured to receive power from the harvester.

11. A thermoelectric harvester for increasing electrical output, comprising:
a first substrate;
a first thermoelectric element having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a first conductor on the first substrate coupled to the base of the first thermoelectric element;
a second conductor at the top of the first thermoelectric element;
a second substrate;
a second thermoelectric element having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a third conductor coupled to the base of the second thermoelectric element;
a fourth conductor at the top of the second thermoelectric element;
wherein the second conductor is physically connected to the third conductor.

12. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 11 , wherein the first and second thermoelectric elements are connected in series.

13. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 11 , further comprising:
a third thermoelectric element having a base, a top, and slanted inner and outer walls;
a fifth conductor on the first substrate coupled to the base of the third thermoelectric element; and
a sixth conductor at the top of the third thermoelectric element,
wherein the fourth conductor is physically connected to the fifth conductor.

14. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 11 , further comprising a support structure on the first substrate between the first substrate and a portion of the first thermoelectric element, and having a lower thermal conductivity than the first thermoelectric element.

15. A thermoelectric harvester for increasing electrical output, comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate;
a first thermoelectric element of a first type of thermoelectric material, the first thermoelectric element having slanted inner and outer walls;
a second thermoelectric element of a second type of thermoelectric material different from the first type of thermoelectric material, the second thermoelectric element having slanted inner and outer walls;
a first conductor on the first substrate coupled to a base of the first thermoelectric element;
a second conductor at a top of the first thermoelectric element;
a third conductor on the second substrate coupled to a base of the second thermoelectric element; and
a fourth conductors at a top of the second thermoelectric element,
wherein the second conductor is physically connected to the third conductor.

16. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 15 , further comprising:
a third thermoelectric element of the first type of thermoelectric material, the third thermoelectric element having slanted inner and outer walls;
a fifth conductor on the first substrate coupled to a base of the third thermoelectric element; and
a sixth conductor at a top of the third thermoelectric element,
wherein the fourth conductor is physically connected to the fifth conductor.

17. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 15 , further comprising a support structure on the first substrate between the first substrate and a portion of the first thermoelectric element, and having a lower thermal conductivity than the first type of thermoelectric material.

18. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17 , wherein the support structure has a trapezoidal cross-section.

19. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17 , wherein the support structure supports the first thermoelectric element.

20. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 17 , wherein the support structure supports a plurality of thermoelectric elements.

21. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 15 , wherein the first thermoelectric element contacts the first substrate at two locations and contacts the second substrate at one location.

Assignees

• Analog Devices Inc

Inventors

• Cornett Jane
• Chen Baoxing
• Lane William Allan
• Mcguinness Patrick M
• Berney Helen

Classifications

• H01L35/32 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/34

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N10/01 Primary

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10N10/17 Primary

  characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device · CPC title