Croissance et caractérisation de super-réseaux de boites quantiques à base de siliciures métalliques et SiGe pour des applications thermoélectriques

摘要

The recent theoretical and technological advances based on nanotechnology have provided new interest on energy harvesting based on thermoelectricity. For thin film devices, applications such as micro powering and local cooling for microelectronic components can be expected. SiGe-based devices have the advantage of integration possibility thanks to microelectronics technologies and of the low toxicity of SiGe compared to materials tradionally employed for thermoelectric devices such as Bi and Te. SiGe-based devices have not yet been employed in large scale mostly due to its low efficiency at room temperature. In this thesis, the production of quantum dot superlattices (QDSL) based on the inclusion of Ti and Mo silicides quantum dots in a SiGe matrix was chosen as a method to improve the material's thermoelectric properties. In order to accomplish this, an industrial CVD tool was modified to allow the employ of solid and liquid precursors. Different QDSL were produced, with different dopants, crystallinity and inclusions. The thermoelectric properties of the obtained materials were measured and the improvement of the material's thermoelectric performance after the inclusion of nanometric particles was demonstrated.