Patent ID: 8529825
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: B64B,B64C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for forming high figure of merit thermoelectric materials, comprising: providing nanocrystals of bismuth and tellurium; preparing a void generator material including a plurality of nanoparticles each having a metallic outer coating, wherein the void generator material is ferritin protein; preparing a solution mixture of the bismuth nanocrystals, tellurium nanocrystals and the void generator material; depositing the solution mixture onto a substrate; heating the deposited solution mixture in an oxygen environment to create a plurality of nanovoid structures from the nanoparticles resulting in a nanovoid incorporated bismuth-tellurium film; following the heating, treating the film to remove any oxygen components remaining from heating the mixture in the oxygen environment; and causing the formation of a crystalline structure in the film.