Planar Thermoelectric Microgenerators Based on Silicon Nanowires

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials Vol. 40; no. 5; pp. 851 - 855
• Main Authors: Dávila, D., Tarancón, A., Kendig, D., Fernández-Regúlez, M., Sabaté, N., Salleras, M., Calaza, C., Cané, C., Gràcia, I., Figueras, E., Santander, J., San Paulo, A., Shakouri, A., Fonseca, L.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.05.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Conductivity; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electric power; Electronic materials; Electronics; Electronics and Microelectronics; Exact sciences and technology; Generators; Heat transfer; Heat transmission; Instrumentation; Materials Science; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanowires; Optical and Electronic Materials; Phase transitions; Physics; Quantum wires; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon; Silicon substrates; Simulation; Solid State Physics; Thermal energy; Thermoelectricity; harvesting; thermoelectricity; silicon nanowires; Microgenerator; Temperature gradients; Silicon-on-insulator; Thermoreflectance; Heat flow; VLS growth; Thermoelectricity; Nanoelectronics; Thermoelectric materials; Electrical measurement; Microelectronic fabrication; Thermoelectric power; Imaging; Growth mechanism; Silicon; Nanowires; Nanostructured materials; Heat transfer
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-011-1591-3

Silicon nanowires have been implemented in microfabricated structures to develop planar thermoelectric microgenerators ( μ TEGs) monolithically integrated in silicon to convert heat flow from thermal gradients naturally present in the environment into electrical energy. The compatibility of typical microfabrication technologies and the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism employed for silicon nanowire growth has been evaluated. Low-thermal-mass suspended structures have been designed, simulated, and microfabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrates to passively generate thermal gradients and operate as microgenerators using silicon nanowires as thermoelectric material. Both electrical measurements to evaluate the connectivity of the nanowires and thermoreflectance imaging to determine the heat transfer along the device have been employed.