Patent ID: 6797199
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: C01B,H01L,Y02P

Abstract:
A thermoelectric material formed form a clathrate compound comprising a clathrate lattice with atoms of at least one element from group 4B of the periodic table as a main structure, doping atoms which are encapsulated within lattice spacing of said clathrate lattice, and substitution atoms which are substituted for at least one portion of atoms which make up said clathrate lattice, wherein said doping atoms are atoms of at least one element from group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 4A, group 5A, group 6A, and group 78 of the periodic table, and said substitution atoms are atoms of at least one element form group 1A, group 2A, group 3A, group 1B, group 2B, group 3B, group 5A, group 6A, group 7A, group 5B, group 6B, group 7B, and group 8 of the periodic table, wherein said clathrate lattice is one clathrate selected from the group consisting of:i) a silicon clathrate 46 (Si46) mixed lattice of a Si20 cluster comprising a dodecahedron of Si atoms and a Si24 cluster comprising a tetradecahedron of Si atoms; ii) a silicon clathrate 34 (Si34) mixed lattice of a Si20 cluster comprising a dodecahedron of Si atoms, and a Si28 cluster comprising a hexadecahedron of Si atoms; iii) a carbon clathrate 46 (C46) mixed lattice of a C20 cluster comprising a dodecahedron of C atoms, and a C24 cluster comprising a tetradecahedron of C atoms; and iv) a carbon clathrate 34 (C34) mixed lattice of a C20 cluster comprising a dodecahedron of C atoms, and a C28 cluster comprising a hexadecahedron of C atoms.