Methods for fabrication, manufacture and production of energy harvesting components and devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12201021-B2
Application number	US-202117493773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2021
Priority date	Apr 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A method for forming a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element is provided. A configuration of the energy harvesting element causes the energy harvesting element to autonomously generate renewable energy for use in electronic systems, electronic devices and electronic system components. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured in a manner to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. An energy harvesting component is also provided that includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase a power output of the electric harvesting component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming an energy harvesting element, comprising:
providing a first functional layer having a facing surface with a first work function value, said first work function value being determined at least in part by selection of a low-work function material for comprising the first functional layer facing surface;
providing a second functional layer with a facing surface facing the facing surface of the first functional layer, the facing surface of the second functional layer having a second work function value that is greater than the first work function value; and
arranging a dielectric layer in a gap between the first functional layer and the second functional layer,
a thickness of the gap being in a range of 200 angstroms or less,
the second work function value being at least 1.0 eV higher than the first work function value, and
a structure of the energy harvesting element causing the energy harvesting element to generate a useable electric potential by promoting electron migration via quantum tunneling, resulting in an accumulation of electrons migrating from the first functional layer to the second functional layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first functional layer is provided on a first conductor layer forming a conductive path between the first conductor layer and the first functional layer, and the second functional layer is provided on a second conductor layer forming a conductive path between the second conductor layer and the second functional layer.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising electrically connecting a first electric lead to the first conductor layer and electrically connecting a second electric lead to the second conductor layer, the first and second electric leads being configured to attach the energy harvesting element to a load.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising arranging the first conductor layer on a support surface, the first conductor layer having a first surface facing the support surface and a second surface opposite the first surface facing the first functional layer, and arranging the second conductor layer such that a first surface is facing the first functional layer and a second surface is facing away from the first functional layer.

5. The method of claim 4 , the providing the first functional layer comprising forming the first functional layer as a separate physical layer in intimate contact with the second surface of the first conductor layer.

6. The method of claim 4 , the providing the first functional layer includes surface treating the first surface of the first conductor layer to lower the work function of the second surface of the first conductor layer.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first conductor layer comprises graphene.

8. The method of claim 2 , the first conductor layer being formed to be less than 10 nm thick.

9. The method of claim 1 , the first functional layer being less than 1 nm thick.

10. The method of claim 1 , the dielectric layer being arranged (1) to have a thickness in a range of 200 angstroms or less, and (2) to be sandwiched between the facing surface of the first functional layer and the facing surface of the second functional layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the dielectric layer to vary in thickness across a planform of the dielectric layer.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the dielectric layer at least in part of a plurality of tapered shapes, each of the plurality of tapered shapes having a tapered structure in which a cross-sectional area of the each of the plurality of tapered shapes is comparatively larger at an end facing the second functional layer and comparatively smaller at an end facing the first functional layer.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming the dielectric layer as a porous layer; and
filling, at least partially, pores in the porous layer with a metal cation.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises at least one of a solid dielectric material or a liquid dielectric material in the gap between the first functional layer and the second functional layer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises at least one of a vacuum or a gas in the gap between the first functional layer and the second functional layer.

16. The method of claim 1 , the dielectric layer being formed to have a thickness in a range of 20 angstroms to 60 angstroms.

17. The method of claim 1 , the first work function value being in a range of 1.0 eV or less and the second work function value being in a range of 2.0 eV or greater.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming an insulating layer on a supporting surface;
forming the energy harvesting element on the insulating layer;
forming another insulating layer on the energy harvesting element;
repeating the forming the energy harvesting element and the forming another insulating layer steps until a desired stack of a number of energy harvesting elements each sandwiched between opposing insulating layers is formed as a stacked structure;
electrically interconnecting the stacked number of energy harvesting elements; and
encasing the stack of the number of energy harvesting elements in an outer insulating material structure.

19. The method of claim 18 , each of the energy harvesting elements being formed of the multiple layers to be less than 300 nm thick.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
electrically connecting a first electric lead electrically to an energy harvesting element at a first end of the stack;
electrically connecting a second electric lead to an energy harvesting element at a second end of the stack; and

connecting the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead to a load.

Assignees

• Face Int Corp

Inventors

• Boyd Clark D

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10N10/80

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H01J45/00 Primary

  Discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators {(structural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element G21C3/40; nuclear power plants using thermionic converters G21D7/04; structural combination of a radioactive source with a thermionic converter, e.g. radioisotope batteries G21H1/10; generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom H02N3/00)} · CPC title

• H02N2/18

  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) · CPC title

• H02N2/186

  Vibration harvesters · CPC title