A thermoelectric conversion material contains a matrix composed of a semiconductor and nanoparticles disposed in the matrix, and the nanoparticles have a lattice constant distribution Δd/d of 0.0055 or more.

A sensor for sensing a gaseous analyte comprising semiconductor phononic nanowire structure and a micro-platform. The sensor comprises a thermal element sensitive to temperature and involving variously chemi-resistive, absorptive and phase change effects. Sensor readout includes monitoring the temperature of the micro-platform.

An electrically-powered device, structure and/or component is provided that includes an attached electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element or component. The energy harvesting component provides a mechanism for generating autonomous renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in the integrated circuit system, structure and/or component. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured in a manner to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The energy harvesting component includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase an electrical power output.

Various examples of thin film thermoelectric (TE) devices, their fabrication and applications are presented. In one example, a thin film TE device includes a first substrate including a void; a p-type TE element attached to the first substrate at a first end and extending over the void to a second end; an n-type TE element attached to the first substrate at a first end and extending over the void to a second end adjacent to the second end of the p-type TE element; and an interconnection coupling the second ends of the p-type TE element and the n-type TE element. In some examples, TE device layers can be vacuum sealed between a supporting substrate and a transparent substrate. A thermal spreader can include TE modules having a distribution of TE elements that operate in generating or cooling modes to cool IC or device hotspots using self-generated power.

An apparatus having a power converter circuit having a first active layer having a first set of active devices disposed on a face thereof, a first passive layer having first set of passive devices disposed on a face thereof, and interconnection to enable the active devices disposed on the face of the first active layer to be interconnected with the non-active devices disposed on the face of the first passive layer, wherein the face on which the first set of active devices on the first active layer is disposed faces the face on which the first set of passive devices on the first passive layer is disposed.

An imager pixel comprising a micro-platform supported by phononic nanowires, the nanowires providing an extreme-level of thermal isolation from a surrounding substrate. The micro-platform in embodiments comprises thermal sensors sensitive to heat from absorbed incident longwave/shortwave photonic irradiation. In embodiments, the pixel photonic sensing structure comprises both a thermal sensor together with a separate photodiode/phototransistor/photogate for sensing RGB and NIR wavelengths. Some embodiments comprise a micro-platform with an integral Peltier thermoelectric element permitting in situ refrigeration to cryogenic temperatures.

In an embodiment a device includes a thermoelectric component, an electrode arranged opposite the thermoelectric component and a high voltage source configured to generate a high voltage between the thermoelectric component and the electrode sufficient to ignite a dielectric barrier discharge.

In an embodiment a device includes a thermoelectric component, an electrode arranged opposite the thermoelectric component and a high voltage source configured to generate a high voltage between the thermoelectric component and the electrode sufficient to ignite a dielectric barrier discharge.

An apparatus includes a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin that is parallel to the first semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin extends from a first region of a substrate near a circuit that produces thermal energy when a circuit is in operation to a second region of the substrate, which is disposed away from the circuit. The second semiconductor fin extends from the first region to the second region and has a different material composition than the first semiconductor fin. The first and second semiconductor fins collectively exhibit a Seebeck effect when the circuit is in operation. The apparatus includes interconnects to couple the first and second semiconductor fins to a power supply circuit to transfer electricity generated due to the Seebeck effect to the power supply circuit.

An apparatus includes a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin that is parallel to the first semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin extends from a first region of a substrate near a circuit that produces thermal energy when a circuit is in operation to a second region of the substrate, which is disposed away from the circuit. The second semiconductor fin extends from the first region to the second region and has a different material composition than the first semiconductor fin. The first and second semiconductor fins collectively exhibit a Seebeck effect when the circuit is in operation. The apparatus includes interconnects to couple the first and second semiconductor fins to a power supply circuit to transfer electricity generated due to the Seebeck effect to the power supply circuit.