Next Generation Thermoelectric Technology

Next generation thermoelectric devices:
The team of MicroXact, Inc., Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech is developing a revolutionary, patent pending high efficiency thermoelectric material fabricated on completely new fabrication principles. The material comprises the three dimensional “wells” of semiconductor superlattices fabricated by a conformal coating via Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of macroporous silicon substrates. Such a material will provide high ZT materials at macroscopic thicknesses, permitting significantly enhanced conversion efficiencies and power factors over wide temperature range.

A number of new and unique processes were developed and still in development by the team. These include conformal coating of high aspect ratio structures with Bi₂ Te₃ /Sb₂ Te₃ quantum well superlattice, wafer-scale coating of planar and high aspect ratio structures with PbTe/PbSe superlattice and many more. The advancements made to date by MicroXact-led team are poised to result in improved fuel efficiency engines and a number of other equally important applications.