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400 element ErAs:InGaAs/InGaAlAs superlattice power generator

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Gehong Zeng,
Je-Hyeong Bahk,
John E. Bowers,
Joshua M. O. Zide,
Arthur C. Gossard,
Yan Zhang,
Rajeev Singh,
Zhixi Bian,
Ali Shakouri and
Woochul Kim
...Show all authors
Gehong Zeng
Affiliation:
gehong@ece.ucsb.edu, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2221G, ESB building, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
Je-Hyeong Bahk
Affiliation:
jhbahk@ece.ucsb.edu, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, United States
John E. Bowers
Affiliation:
bowers@ece.ucsb.edu, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, United States
Joshua M. O. Zide
Affiliation:
jmz@engineering.ucsb.edu, University of California, Santa Barbara, Materials Department, United States
Arthur C. Gossard
Affiliation:
gossard@engineering.ucsb.edu, University of California, Santa Barbara, Materials Department, United States
Yan Zhang
Affiliation:
yzhang@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Santa Cruz, Electrical Engineering Department, United States
Rajeev Singh
Affiliation:
rsingh@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Santa Cruz, Electrical Engineering Department, United States
Zhixi Bian
Affiliation:
zxbian@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Santa Cruz, Electrical Engineering Department, United States
Ali Shakouri
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Woochul Kim
Affiliation:
woochul@newton.berkeley.edu, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering, United States
Suzanne Singer
Affiliation:
slsinger@berkeley.edu, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering, United States
Arun Majumdar
Affiliation:
majumdar@me.berkeley.edu, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mechanical Engineering, United States
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Abstract

We report the fabrication and characterization of thin film power generators composed 400 p- and n-type ErAs:InGaAs/InGaAlAs superlattice thermoelectric elements. The thermoelectric elements incorporate erbium arsenide metallic nanoparticles into the semiconductor superlattice structure to provide charge carriers and create scattering centers for phonons. 10 µm p- and n-type InGaAs/InGaAlAs superlattices with embedded ErAs nano-particles were grown on InP substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Thermal conductivity values were measured using the 3ω method and cross-plane Seebeck coefficients were determined using Seebeck device test patterns. 400 element ErAs:InGaAs/InGaAlAs thin film power generators were fabricated from superlattice elements 10 µm thick and 200 µm × 200 µm in area. The output power was 4.7 milliwatts for an external electrical load resistor of 150 Ω at about 80 K temperature difference drop across the generator. We discuss the limitations to the generator's performance and provide suggestions for further improvement.

Keywords

thermoelectricitynanostructurebonding

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