Silicon nanowires, whose thermal conductivity is strongly reduced with respect to that of the bulk silicon, are very promising for high-efficient thermoelectric conversion. This work focuses on the development of a technique for the fabrication of thermoelectric generators which are based on vertical silicon nanowire forests, achieved through a metal-assisted chemical etch. As heavily doped nanowires are essential in thermoelectric applications, this chemical process has been applied both on lightly and on highly doped (> 1019 cm−3) silicon substrates. A comparison of the results shows that the etch behaves in a completely distinct way when applied to the differently doped substrates. The results of this comparison and a preliminary insight into the diverse behavior occurred are reported. The different initial nucleation of silver, which determines the hole injection, essential to the etching of silicon, seems to be the key point of this different behavior.

Dimaggio, E., Narducci, D., Pennelli, G. (2018). Fabrication of Silicon Nanowire Forests for Thermoelectric Applications by Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS ENGINEERING AND PERFORMANCE, 27(12), 6279-6285 [10.1007/s11665-018-3605-2].

Fabrication of Silicon Nanowire Forests for Thermoelectric Applications by Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching

Narducci, Dario;
2018

Abstract

Silicon nanowires, whose thermal conductivity is strongly reduced with respect to that of the bulk silicon, are very promising for high-efficient thermoelectric conversion. This work focuses on the development of a technique for the fabrication of thermoelectric generators which are based on vertical silicon nanowire forests, achieved through a metal-assisted chemical etch. As heavily doped nanowires are essential in thermoelectric applications, this chemical process has been applied both on lightly and on highly doped (> 1019 cm−3) silicon substrates. A comparison of the results shows that the etch behaves in a completely distinct way when applied to the differently doped substrates. The results of this comparison and a preliminary insight into the diverse behavior occurred are reported. The different initial nucleation of silver, which determines the hole injection, essential to the etching of silicon, seems to be the key point of this different behavior.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
metal-assisted chemical etching; silicon nanowires; thermoelectricity;
Thermoelectricity; Silicon; Nanowires; energy harvesting
English
2018
27
12
6279
6285
none
Dimaggio, E., Narducci, D., Pennelli, G. (2018). Fabrication of Silicon Nanowire Forests for Thermoelectric Applications by Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS ENGINEERING AND PERFORMANCE, 27(12), 6279-6285 [10.1007/s11665-018-3605-2].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/215653
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