Compound semiconductor and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11072530-B2
Application number	US-201716095029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A novel compound semiconductor which can be used for a solar cell, a thermoelectric material, or the like, and the use thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compound semiconductor represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, comprising: a Co—Sb skutterudite compound; Sn and S that are included in internal voids of the Co—Sb skutterudite compound; and Q that is substituted with Sb of the Co—Sb skutterudite compound:
Sn x S y Co 4 Sb 12-z Q z   [Chemical Formula 1]

wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, Q is at least one selected from the group consisting of O, Se, and Te, wherein 0<x<0.2, 0<y≤1, and 0<z<12, and
the molar ratio of x to 1 mol of y is 0.1 mol to 0.9 mol.

2. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein in Chemical Formula 1, the molar ratio of x to 1 mol of y is 0.2 mol to 0.8 mol.

3. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein in Chemical Formula 1, z is in the range of 0<z≤4.

4. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein in Chemical Formula 1, the molar ratio of x to 1 mol of z is 0.01 mol to 0.5 mol.

5. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein in Chemical Formula 1, the molar ratio of x to 1 mol of z is 0.05 mol to 0.3 mol.

6. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein the Co—Sb skutterudite compound comprises two voids per unit lattice.

7. The compound semiconductor of claim 1 , wherein the compound semiconductor is an N-type compound semiconductor.

8. A method for preparing the compound semiconductor of claim 1 comprising the steps of:
forming a mixture containing Sn, S, Co, Sb, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, Se and Te; and
thermally treating the mixture.

9. The method for preparing the compound semiconductor of claim 8 , wherein the thermal treatment step is performed at 400° C. to 800° C.

10. The method for preparing the compound semiconductor of claim 8 , wherein the thermal treatment step comprises two or more thermal treatment steps.

11. The method for preparing the compound semiconductor of claim 8 , further comprising a pressure-sintering step after thermally treating the mixture.

12. A thermoelectric conversion device comprising the compound semiconductor according to claim 1 .

13. A solar cell comprising the compound semiconductor according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Ko Kyung Moon
• Park Cheol Hee
• Park Chee Sung
• Kim Min Kyoung

Classifications

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H10F10/00

  Individual photovoltaic cells, e.g. solar cells (electrolytic light-sensitive devices, e.g. dye-sensitised solar cells, H01G9/20) · CPC title

• H10F77/121

  comprising only selenium or only tellurium · CPC title

• H10F77/12

  Active materials · CPC title

• C01B19/007 Primary

  Tellurides or selenides of metals (C01B19/002 takes precedence) · CPC title