Semiconductor Device Group

Thermoelectrics is the generation of electricity from thermal energy through the Seebeck effect. We are presently undertaking research to develop efficient thermoelectric materials and modules which can be used for energy harvesting or for Peltier cooling.

Thermoelectric generators are a renewable and sustainable method of electricity generation. A thermoelectric module consists of a hot side and a cold side. A temperature difference, DT, across a p-type or a n-type semiconductor will generate a voltage and current through the Seebeck effect. A module combines pairs of n- and p-type semiconductors.

The figure of merit for thermoelectric materials with a Seebeck coefficient alpha, electrical conductivity sigma, thermal conductivity kappa and temperature, T is given by

We have proposed a new method of creating highly efficient thermoelectric materials and we are presently undertaking research to demonstrate this new concept which should allow thermoelectric generators with around 20 to 30% efficiency.

The thermoelectrics work is funded under the EC GREEN Silicon research project which can be found here.

• D.J. Paul, "Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting" Intech Open Access from "ICT - Energy - Concepts Towards Zero - Power Information and Communication Technology " (2014) - DOI: 10.5772/57347
• L. Ferre Llin, A. Samarelli, S. Cecchi, T. Etzelstorfer, E. Müller Gubler, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, J. Stangl, J. M. R. Weaver, P. S. Dobson, and D. J. Paul "The cross-plane thermoelectric properties of p-Ge/Si_0.5Ge_0.5 superlattices" Applied Physics Letters 103, 143507 (2013) - DOI: 10.1063/1.4824100
• A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, T. Etzelstorfer, E. Müller, Y. Zhang, J. R. Watling, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, J. Stangl, J. P. Hague, J. M. R. Weaver, P. Dobson, and D. J. Paul "The thermoelectric properties of Ge/SiGe modulation doped superlattices" Journal of Applied Physics 113, 233704 (2013) - DOI: 10.1063/1.4811228
• J.R. Watling and D.J. Paul, "A study of the impact of dislocations on the thermoelectric propoerties of quantum wells in the Si/SiGe materials system" Journal of Applied Physics 110, 114508 (2011) - doi:10.1063/1.3665127
• A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, Y. Zhang, J.M.R. Weaver, P.S. Dobson, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, F. Isa, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl, E. Müller Gubler and D.J. Paul, "Prospects for SiGe thermoelectric generators" Solid State Electronics, 98, pp. 70 - 74 (2014) DOI: 10.1016/j.sse.2014.04.003
• D. Chrastina, S. Cecchi, J. P. Hague, J. Frigerio, A. Samarelli, L. Ferre-Llin, D.J. Paul, E. Müller, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl and G. Isella "Ge/SiGe superlattices for nanostructured thermoelectric modules" Thin Solid Films 543, 153 (2013) - DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.01.002
• L. Ferre Llin, A. Samarelli, Y. Zhang, J. M. R. Weaver, P. Dobson, S. Cecchi, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl, E. Müller and D.J. Paul "Thermal Conductivity Measurement Methods for SiGe Thermoelectric Materials" Journal of Electronic Materials 42(7), pp 2376 - 2380 (2013) - DOI: 10.1007/s11664-013-2505-3-z
• A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, Y. Zhang, J. M. R. Weaver, P. Dobson, S. Cecchi, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl, E. Müller and D.J. Paul "Power Factor Characterization of Ge/SiGe Thermoelectric Superlattices at 300 K" Journal of Electronic Materials 42(7), pp 1449 - 1453 (2013) - DOI: 10.1007/s11664-012-2287-z
• S. Cecchi, T. Etzelstorfer, E. Müller, A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, J. Stangl, J. M. R. Weaver, P. Dobson and D. J. Paul "Ge/SiGe Superlattices for Thermoelectric Devices Grown by Low-Energy Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition" Journal of Electronic Materials 42(7) pp. 2829 - 2835 (2013) - DOI: 10.1007/s11664-013-2511-5
• S.C. Cecchi, T. Etzelstorfer, E. Müller, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, J. Stangl, A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin and D.J. Paul, "Ge/SiGe superlattices for thermoelectric energy conversion devices" Journal of Materials Science 48(7), pp. 2829-2835 (2013) - doi 10.1007/s10853-012-6825-0
• D.J. Paul, A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, Y. Zhang, J.M.R. Weaver, P.S. Dobson, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, F. Isa, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl and E. Müller Gubler, "Prospects for SiGe thermoelectric generators" 14th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon (ULIS) 2013 pp. 5 - 8 (2013) - DOI: 10.1109/ULIS.2013.6523478
• A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, D.J. Paul, Y. Zhang, J.M.R. Weaver, P.S. Dobson, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, F. Isa, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl and E. Müller Gubler"Si/SiGe Heteroepitaxial materials for Thermoelectric Applications" Proceedings of the 31^st International and 10^th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (2012)
• A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, D.J. Paul, Y. Zhang, J.M.R. Weaver, P.S. Dobson, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, F. Isa, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl and E. Müller Gubler,"Accurate Measurements of Thermal Conductivity of SiGe Thermoelectric Materials" Proceedings of the 31^st International and 10^th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (2012)
• D.J. Paul, A. Samarelli, L. Ferre Llin, Y. Zhang, J.M.R. Weaver, P.S. Dobson, S. Cecchi, J. Frigerio, F. Isa, D. Chrastina, G. Isella, T. Etzelstorfer, J. Stangl and E. Müller Gubler, "Si/SiGe Thermoelectric Generators (Invited)" Electrochemical Society Transactions 50(9), pp.959-963 (2012)
• D.J. Paul, "Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting" 2^nd Thomas-Young Centre Energy Materials Workshop And Tutorial (June 2012)
• J.B. Gallagher, A. Knox, D.J. Paul and D.H. Gregory, "Synthesis and property measurement of nanoscale bismuth telluride thermoelectric materials" Proceedings of the 31^st International and 10^th European Conference on Thermoelectrics (2012)