Dresden 2009 – scientific programme

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Downloads | Help

DS: Fachverband Dünne Schichten

DS 35: Thermoelectric Thin Films and Nanostructures II

DS 35.1: Topical Talk

Thursday, March 26, 2009, 15:15–15:45, GER 38

Nanotechnological thin film concepts for new thermoelectric materials — •Harald Böttner — Fraunhofer Institut Physikalische Messtechnik Heidenhofstr.8 79108 Freiburg

Thermoelectric converters are multitalented: they cool or generate electricity and do so silently, without maintenance and in particular with extreme reliability. But: all thermoelectric applications depend mainly on the material quality, in the field of thermoelectric defined by the well known Z (thermoelectric figure of merit). It is the main goal for the material development to enhance Z for ZT (T = absolute temperature) values above the critical number of 1. For modern concepts, to achieve e.g. ZT values to up  2, the internal structure of thermoelectric semiconductors is based on different nanoconcepts. Here we will give an overview over different concepts and technological procedures as well as the typical materials involved. We will focus on thin films nanoconcepts which, particularly, deal with the approach to reduce the thermal conductivity keeping high electrical conductivity, mainly as superlattices. The survey will cover the preparation via PVD methods like thermal evaporation MBE, sputter-techniques and chemical routes for structural self organizing thermoelectric material. The impact of those nanoscale layers stacks on the performance on thermoelectric devices will be discussed and compared to bulk like thin film devices.