# US 10,770,507 B2 · Devices and systems incorporating energy harvesting components/devices as autonomous energy sources and as energy supplementation, and methods for producing devices and systems incorporating energy harvesting components/devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,507 B2 - Document ID: US10770507B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/167,397 - Filed: 2018-10-22 - Published: 2019-02-21 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-09 - Assignees: Face International Corporation - Applicants: Face International Corporation - Inventors: Clark D Boyd; Bradbury R Face; Jeffrey D Shepard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770507B2 ## CPC - H10N 19/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one thermoelectric or thermomagnetic element covered by groups H10N10/00 - H10N15/00 - H01J 45/00: Discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators {(structural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element G21C3/40; nuclear power plants using thermionic converters G21D7/04; structural combination of a radioactive source with a thermionic converter, e.g. radioisotope batteries G21H1/10; generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom H02N3/00)} - H10N 10/00: Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract An electrically-powered device, structure and/or component is provided that includes an attached electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element or component. The energy harvesting component provides a mechanism for generating autonomous renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in the integrated circuit system, structure and/or component. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured in a manner to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The energy harvesting component includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase an electrical power output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming an electrically-powered device structure, comprising: providing at least one electrically-energized device component on a surface of a structure; providing an energy harvesting component on the surface of the structure by forming a first conductor layer of a first conductive material on a mounting surface; surface conditioning a facing surface of the first conductor layer opposite the mounting surface to have a comparatively low work function value; and arranging a second conductor layer formed of a second conductive material to have a facing surface of the second conductor layer facing the facing surface of the first conductor layer with a gap formed between respective facing surfaces of the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer, the gap being in a range of 100 angstroms or less in thickness in a direction orthogonal to the respective facing surfaces, the facing surface of the second conductor having a work function value at least 1.0 eV higher than the comparatively low work function value of the facing surface of the first conductor layer, the energy harvesting component having a stacked configuration on the mounting surface totaling less than 100 μm thick on the mounting surface; and electrically connecting an energy harvesting component to the at least one electrically-energized device component, the energy harvesting being configured to generate an electric potential at any temperature above absolute zero for powering the at least one electrically-energized device component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: electrically connecting a first electric lead and a second electric lead to the energy harvesting component, the first and second electric leads being configured to attach the energy harvesting component to the at least one electrically-energized device component on the surface of the structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the surface conditioning of the facing surface of the first conductor layer comprising applying a surface treatment to the facing surface of the first conductor layer to lower the work function of the facing surface of the first conductor layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the surface conditioning of the facing surface of the first conductor layer comprising forming a separate physical low work function layer on and in intimate contact with the facing surface of the first conductor layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the surface conditioned facing surface of the first conductor layer having a work function in a range of 1.0 eV or less and the facing surface of the second conductor layer having a work function in a range of 2.0 eV or greater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an outer insulating layer substantially encasing the energy harvesting component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the stacked configuration of the energy harvesting component comprising a plurality of energy harvesting elements and a plurality of insulating layers arranged, the plurality of energy harvesting elements being separated by the plurality of insulating layers, and the plurality of energy harvesting elements being electrically interconnected with one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, each of the plurality of insulating layers having a thickness of less than 1 μm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a dielectric layer in the gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, the dielectric layer having a thickness in a range of 20 angstroms to 60 angstroms and being sandwiched between the respective facing surfaces of the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, the dielectric layer being formed at least partially of a plurality of tapered shapes, each of the plurality of tapered shapes having a tapered structure in which a cross-sectional area of the each of the plurality of tapered shapes is comparatively larger at an end facing the facing surface of the second conductor layer and comparatively smaller at an end facing the facing surface of the first conductor layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, the dielectric layer varying in thickness across a planform of the dielectric layer between the respective facing surfaces of the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, the dielectric layer being a porous layer, pores in the porous layer being filled at least in part with a metal cation.