We disclose herewith a heterostructure-based sensor comprising a substrate comprising an etched portion and a substrate portion; a device region located on the etched portion and the substrate portion; the device region comprising at least one membrane region which is an area over the etched portion of the substrate. At least one heterostructure-based element is located at least partially within or on the at least one membrane region, the heterostructure-based element comprising at least one two dimensional (2D) carrier gas.

A thermoelectric material includes a lower part from a bottom surface of the thermoelectric material to a point of 30% of an average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 40 at% or more in the thermoelectric material, and an upper part corresponding to a remaining 70% of the average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 20 at% or less in the thermoelectric material.

A system and method for efficient thermoelectric power generation by combining natural gas as a thermal source with emitters, such as Silicon Carbide, highly-doped Silicon Carbide semiconductor material as cells, harvesting of electric power through in situ formation of Graphene Carbon, and semiconductor materials. The system is can yield orders of magnitude greater power efficiency over thermoelectric power generation units used in space travel, by practicing the invention, natural gas, such as the 288.7 billion cubic currently wasted by the environmental damaging practice of flaring off, can be converted into useful electricity for transport over low-cost transmission line infrastructure rather than possible future high-cost pipelines. Also, by practicing the invention, households can be provided with standby power, power during natural disasters, such as hurricanes, by converting available natural or propane gas rather relying on generators with single digit efficiency.

A semiconductor device comprising a first and second doped semiconductor layer wherein the first layer is a monosilicon layer and the second layer is a polysilicon layer, an oxide layer covering the first and second layer, and an interconnect which electrically connects the first and second layer comprises a metal alloy which has a first part in contact with the first layer and a second part in contact with the second layer, wherein a part of the metal alloy between the first and the second part crosses over a sidewall of the second layer; at least one electronic component is formed in the first and/or second layer; the semiconductor device moreover comprises a stoichiometric passivation layer which covers the first and second layer and the oxide layer.

Structures that include semiconductor fins and methods for forming a structure that includes semiconductor fins. A first fin comprised of n-type semiconductor material and a second fin comprised of p-type semiconductor material are formed. A conductive strap is formed that couples an end of the first fin with an end of the second fin.

A thermoelectric material includes a lower part from a bottom surface of the thermoelectric material to a point of 30% of an average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 40 at % or more in the thermoelectric material, and an upper part corresponding to a remaining 70% of the average thickness of the thermoelectric material and having an average content of carbon atoms of 20 at % or less in the thermoelectric material.

Various methods and devices for ultrasensitive infrared photodetection, infrared imaging, and other optoelectronic applications using the plasmon assisted thermoelectric effect in graphene are described. Infrared detection by the photo-thermoelectric uses the generation of a temperature gradient (ΔT) for the efficient collection of the generated hot-carriers. An asymmetric plasmon-induced hot-carrier Seebeck photodetection scheme at room temperature exhibits a remarkable responsivity along with an ultrafast response in the technologically relevant 8-12 μm band. This is achieved by engineering the asymmetric electronic environment of the generated hot carriers on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown large area nanopatterned monolayer graphene, which leads to a record ΔT across the device terminals thereby enhancing the photo-thermoelectric voltage beyond the theoretical limit for graphene. The results provide a strategy for uncooled, tunable, multispectral infrared detection.

Micro-scale thermoelectric devices having high thermal resistance and efficiency for use in cooling and energy harvesting applications and relating fabricating methods are disclosed. The thermoelectric devices include first substrates substantially parallel with second substrates. Scaffold members are deposited between the first and second substrate. The scaffold members include a plurality of cavities having sidewalls. The scaffold members may be formed from the second substrate. The sidewalls are substantially vertical with respect to the second substrate. The sidewalls may be substantially parallel. Thermoelectric materials are deposited on the sidewalls.

A system configured to generate electricity based upon a temperature difference between a vehicle occupant and a portion of a vehicle interior is described herein. The system includes a thermoelectric device containing nano-scale metal fibers or carbon nanotubes incorporated into an interior surface of the vehicle. The thermoelectric device has a first side in contact with the vehicle occupant and a second side opposite the first side in contact with the portion of the vehicle interior. The thermoelectric device is configured to supply electrical power to an electrical system of the vehicle.

An active element for an electrochemical apparatus or an electrical energy generating apparatus may include a plane or curved, generally plate-type, sheet-type or mesh-type support body. A surface of the support body is at least partly (preferably entirely) coated with amorphous nickel boron or nickel thallium boron or a similar amorphous, columnar growth boron containing coating having a nodular topography.