Patent ID: 9209375
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of improving thermoelectric efficiency of a silicon nanowire, comprising: providing a silicon nanowire consisting substantially of crystalline silicon; selecting a thermal conductivity of the silicon nanowire by controlling a diameter of the silicon nanowire within a range of ten to twenty nanometers and controlling a length of the silicon nanowire to be at least four times the diameter of the silicon nanowire without substantially changing an electrical conductivity of the silicon nanowire; and selecting a thermoelectric power of the silicon nanowire by controlling the doping concentration of the silicon nanowire within a range of 3×10 such that the silicon nanowire has a thermoelectric efficiency at least one hundred times greater than a thermoelectric efficiency of bulk silicon, wherein the silicon nanowire is doped p-type or n-type, but not both, and wherein the thermoelectric efficiency of the silicon nanowire is greater than or equal to about 0.31 over a temperature range from about 100K to 200K.