Patent ID: 6342668
Filing Date: 2002-01-29
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A hybrid material for conversion of energy between electrical energy and thermal energy, consisting essentially of:a first component of a first amount from a first non-metal element from the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth columns of the periodic table including pnicogen elements and chalcogen elements; a second component of a second amount from a first transition metal element; said first component of said first pnicogen element and said second component of said first transition metal element positioned relative to each other to form a skutterudite structure having a formula: â€ƒT4Pn12 wherein T represents said first transition metal element and Pn represents said first non-metal element;a third component of a third amount from a first metallic element including a first rare-earth element; a fourth component of a fourth amount from a second non-metal element selected from the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth columns of the periodic table, substituting a first portion of said first non-metal element while maintaining a total amount of said first non-metal element and said second non-metal element at said first amount; a fifth component of a fifth amount from a second transition metal element, substituting a second portion of said first transition metal element while maintaining a total amount of said first transition metal and said second transition metal element at said second amount; a sixth component of a sixth amount from a second metallic element including a second rare-earth element; said first component, said second component, said third component, said fourth component, said fifth component, and said sixth component forming said hybrid material with a nominal composition represented by a formula: Rf(1âˆ’r){overscore (R)}frT4âˆ’x{overscore (T)}xPn12âˆ’y{overscore (Pn)}y, for0&lE;f&lE;1, 0&lE;r&lE;1, 0&lE;x&lE;4, and 0&lE;y&lE;12 wherein {overscore (T)}, {overscore (Pn)}, R, and {overscore (R)} respectively represent said second transition metal element, said second non-metal element, said first metallic element and said second metallic element; andsaid first amount, said second amount and said third amount being proportional relative to each other so that said hybrid material has transport properties of being semimetallic or semiconducting.