# US 2022/0285602 A1 · Thermoelectric conversion material, thermoelectric conversion element, thermoelectric conversion module, and optical sensor

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- Number: US 2022/0285602 A1
- Document ID: US20220285602A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/637,805
- Filed: 2020-09-16
- Published: 2022-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-25
- Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation
- Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation
- Inventors: Kotaro HIROSE; Masahiro ADACHI; Tsunehiro TAKEUCHI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220285602A1

## CPC

- H10N 10/851: comprising inorganic compositions
- C01B 33/02: Silicon (forming single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure C30B)
- C22C 28/00: Alloys based on a metal not provided for in groups C22C5/00 - C22C27/00
- C22C 45/00: Amorphous alloys (making amorphous non-ferrous alloys C22C1/11)
- H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
- H10N 10/857: comprising compositions changing continuously or discontinuously inside the material
- C22C 2200/02: Amorphous
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)

## Abstract

A thermoelectric conversion material is constituted of a semiconductor that contains a constituent element and an additive element having a difference of 1 in the number of electrons in an outermost shell from the constituent element, the additive element having a concentration of not less than 0.01 at % and not more than 30 at %. The semiconductor has a microstructure including an amorphous phase and a granular crystal phase dispersed in the amorphous phase. The amorphous phase includes a first region in which the concentration of the additive element is a first concentration, and a second region in which the concentration of the additive element is a second concentration lower than the first concentration. The first concentration and the second concentration have a difference of not less than 15 at % and not more than 25 at % therebetween.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoelectric conversion material constituted of a semiconductor containing a constituent element and an additive element having a difference of 1 in the number of electrons in an outermost shell from the constituent element, the additive element having a concentration of not less than 0.01 at % and not more than 30 at %,
the semiconductor having a microstructure including
an amorphous phase, and
a granular crystal phase dispersed in the amorphous phase,
the amorphous phase including
a first region in which the concentration of the additive element is a first concentration, and
a second region in which the concentration of the additive element is a second concentration lower than the first concentration,
the first concentration and the second concentration having a difference of not less than 15 at % and not more than 25 at % therebetween.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1, wherein
the constituent element includes
a first constituent element and
a second constituent element, and
a ratio of a concentration of atoms of the first constituent element to all the constituent elements in the first region and a ratio of a concentration of atoms of the first constituent element to all the constituent elements in the second region have a difference of not less than 5% and not more than 10% therebetween.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1, wherein the first region has an equivalent circle diameter of not less than 3 nm and not more than 40 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1, wherein the constituent element includes at least one of Si and Ge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 4, wherein the additive element includes at least one of Sb, Al, P, As, and N.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the additive element is not less than 5 at % and not more than 25 at %.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A thermoelectric conversion element comprising:
a thermoelectric conversion material portion;
a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion; and
a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode;
the thermoelectric conversion material portion being constituted by the thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1 having p type or n type conductivity.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A thermoelectric conversion module comprising the thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 7.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An optical sensor comprising:
an absorber that absorbs optical energy; and
a thermoelectric conversion material portion connected to the absorber,
the thermoelectric conversion material portion being constituted by the thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1 having p type or n type conductivity.