Objective The performance of thermoelectric generation has long since been limited by the fact that it depends on hardly tunable intrinsic materials properties. At the heart of this problem lies a trade-off between sufficient Seebeck coefficient, good electrical properties and suitably low thermal conductivity. The two last being closely related by the ambivalent role of electrons in the conduction of both electrical and thermal currents. Current research focuses on materials composition and structural properties in order to improve this trade-off also known as the figure of merit (zT). Recently, evidences aroused that nanoscale structuration (nanowires, quantum dots, thin-films) can improve zT by means of electron and/or phonon confinement. The aim of this project is to tackle the intrinsic reasons for this low efficiency and bring TE conversion to efficiencies above 10% by exploring two unconventional and complementary approaches:Phononic Engineering Conversion consists of modulating thermal properties by means of a periodic, precisely designed, arrangement of inclusions on a length scale that compares to phonon means free path. This process is unlocked by state of the art lithography techniques. In its principles, phononic engineering offers an opportunity to tailor the phonon density of states as well as to artificially introduce thermal anisotropy in a semiconductor membrane. Suitable converter architecture is proposed that takes advantage of conductivity reduction and anisotropy to guide and converter heat flow. This approach is fully compatible with standard silicon technologies and is potentially applicable to conformable converters.The Micro Thermionic Conversion relies on low work function materials and micron scale vacuum gaps to collect a thermally activated current across a virtually zero heat conduction device. This approach, though more risky, envisions devices with equivalent zT around 10 which is far above what can be expected from solid state conversion. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesatomic physicsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivitynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-PE7 - ERC Starting Grant - Systems and communication engineering Call for proposal ERC-2013-StG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Coordinator JUNIA Address 2 rue norbert segard 59046 Lille cedex France See on map Region Hauts-de-France Nord-Pas de Calais Nord Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Andreas Kaiser (Dr.) Principal investigator Jean-François Sebastien Denis Robillard (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 1 499 506,80 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all JUNIA France EU contribution € 1 499 506,80 Address 2 rue norbert segard 59046 Lille cedex See on map Region Hauts-de-France Nord-Pas de Calais Nord Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Andreas Kaiser (Dr.) Principal investigator Jean-François Sebastien Denis Robillard (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window
