Patterning of Bi2Te3 Polycrystalline Thin-Films on Silicon

Abstract

Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric (TE) energy conversion devices are an attractive possibility for recovering usable energy from waste heat. The integration of TE devices on silicon substrates opens the door for new highly integrated systems where micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) heat exchangers and sensor/actuator technology can be leveraged to improve conversion efficiency and system capability. One roadblock on this path is the development of reliable patterning methods for fabricating thin-film TE devices on silicon micromachined substrates. This report gives the results from investigating patterning techniques for polycrystalline Bi2Te3 films grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Lithographic patterning and both wet and dry etch techniques are discussed. Results show that the developed processes can be used to precisely pattern features smaller than 10 microns on a side and are scalable to vertical dimensions (>> or >) 10 microns.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA475544

Entities

People

  • Brian Morgan
  • Patrick Taylor

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Actuators
  • Chemistry
  • Crystal Structure
  • Energy
  • Fabrication
  • Films
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Military Research
  • Molecular Beam Epitaxy
  • Molecular Beams
  • Polycrystals
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Thin Films

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems