Patent ID: 8865995
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a semiconductor alloy thermoelectric material, comprising: providing at least two different elemental powders; mechanically alloying the at least two different elemental powders to form a semiconductor alloy powder comprising semiconductor alloy nanoparticles; and compacting the semiconductor alloy powder under pressure and at an elevated temperature to generate the semiconductor alloy thermoelectric material with a ZT value greater than 1.2 for at least one temperature in a range of room temperature to 300° C.; wherein: a current is passed through the semiconductor alloy powder during the step of compacting; the semiconductor alloy thermoelectric material comprises randomly oriented grains having an average grain size below 5000 nm and precipitation regions having an average size of 1 nm to 100 nm; wherein the semiconductor alloy thermoelectric material comprises a bismuth telluride or bismuth antimony telluride based material; and the step of providing at least two different elemental powders comprises providing at least a bismuth elemental powder and a tellurium elemental powder, or at least a bismuth elemental powder, an antimony elemental powder and a tellurium elemental powder.