Objective
The ultimate aim is the development of an electrochemically-based technology for the fabrication of high efficiency thermoelectric devices. The development is mainly focused on miniaturized Peltier-coolers, since they are a key product for the thermoelectric device market, as in for example cooling of telecommunication laser sources. This new methodology combines a typically thin-film low cost deposition technique for the electrochemical material with micromachining techniques. The advancement in our concept and the related technologies will ensure, after reaching ultimate aims, a direct industrial application of smart micro-peltier-coolers for the mentioned markets. One main challenge will be the upgrading of room temperature electro-deposited thermoelectric material to typical commercial quality. We propose for the development of the electro-deposited based micro-coolers two project phases, wherein during the first assessment phase the feasibility of the proposed concept should be demonstrated.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
A similar micro cooler concept has been developed in the USA but did not fulfil the commercial criteria. We propose to improve what has been up to now the major drawback, namely the lack of suitable thermoelectric structured materials by implementing a two-wafer concept with independently, optimised p- and n-type thermoelectric materials. The metal contacts and the thermoelectric materials respectively will be deposited on the whole area of two wafers. After optimisation of their thermoelectric properties by annealing the layers will be structured. To obtain an optimal geometry of the thermo-elements three different etch techniques will be tested: chemical etching, plasma-etching and electrochemical-etching. The two wafers will be finally bonded. Within our concept, we identified three main technological risks:
1.p- n-type thermoelectric material characteristics suitable for Peltier-devices (power factor~30)
2.Low contact resistance between semiconductor and metal contacts
3. Dry, wet or electrochemical etching techniques to structure semiconductor and metal contacts.
The material properties achieved in this project are the basis for performance calculations of micro coolers suitable for laser stabilization in telecommunication purposes. Derived from experimental results and related performance simulations, a technological flow chart will be derived to develop the ultimate device within a possible second phase, which will be headed by industrial partners.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
80686 MUENCHEN
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.