# US 2021/0242387 A1 · Thermoelectric generator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242387 A1 - Document ID: US20210242387A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/158,904 - Filed: 2021-01-26 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l. - Applicants: Stmicroelectronics S.R.L. - Inventors: Paolo FERRARI; Flavio Francesco VILLA; Luca ZANOTTI; Andrea NOMELLINI; Luca SEGHIZZI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242387A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/8556: {comprising compounds containing germanium or silicon} - H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment - H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device - H10N 10/855: comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A thermoelectric generator includes a substrate and one or more thermoelectric elements on the substrate and each configured to convert a thermal drop across the thermoelectric elements into an electric potential by Seebeck effect. The thermoelectric generator includes a cavity between the substrate and the thermoelectric elements. The thermoelectric generator includes, within the cavity, a support structure for supporting the thermoelectric elements. The support structure has a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoelectric generator, comprising: a substrate; one or more thermoelectric elements on the substrate and each configured to convert a thermal drop across the thermoelectric elements into an electric potential; a cavity between the substrate and the thermoelectric elements, and a support structure within the cavity and supporting the thermoelectric elements, the support structure having a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 1, wherein a ratio between the thermal conductivity of the support structure and the thermal conductivity of the substrate is lower than 0.02. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 1, wherein the support structure includes at least one material having a thermal conductivity below 2 W/mK. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 3, wherein the at least one material including at least one among porous silicon, hydrogen silsesquioxane and high density plasma oxide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 3, wherein the cavity is filled with the at least one material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one thermoelectric element includes a plurality of interconnected thermoelectric nanostructures. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of interconnected thermoelectric nanostructures include a plurality of thermoelectric nanostructures having a first type of conductivity and a plurality of thermoelectric nanostructures having a second type of conductivity opposite the first type. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 6, wherein the thermoelectric nanostructures are made of silicon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The thermoelectric generator according to claim 6, wherein the thermoelectric nanostructures are made of polysilicon. ### Claim 10 A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric generator, comprising: providing a substrate; providing, on the substrate, one or more thermoelectric elements forming a cavity between the substrate and the thermoelectric elements, and providing, within the cavity, a support structure for supporting the thermoelectric elements, the support structure having a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the cavity after providing the one or more thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the cavity before providing the one or more thermoelectric elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein providing the one or more thermoelectric elements includes forming a plurality of interconnected thermoelectric nanostructures above the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: doping a first group of the thermoelectric nanostructures with N-type dopants; and doping a second group of the thermoelectric nanostructures with P-type dopants. ### Claim 15 A thermoelectric generator, comprising: a substrate; a cavity in the substrate; a support structure in the cavity; and a thermoelectric element including: a plurality first thermoelectric nanostructures supported above the substrate by the support structure and doped with N-type dopants; and a plurality of thermoelectric nanostructures supported above the substrate by the support structure and doped with P-type dopants. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The thermoelectric generator of claim 15, wherein the substrate having a thermal conductivity at least 50 times greater than a thermal conductivity of the support structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The thermoelectric generator of claim 15, wherein the support structure entirely filling the cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The thermoelectric generator of claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric element including an electrically conductive connectors coupling the first thermoelectric nanostructures to the second thermoelectric nanostructures. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The thermoelectric generator of claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric element including a plurality of electrically conductive connectors each coupling a respective one of the first thermoelectric nanostructures to a respective one of the second thermoelectric nanostructures. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The thermoelectric generator of claim 19, further comprising an electrically insulating layer between the support structure and the first and second thermoelectric nanostructures.