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Thermoelectric Nanodevices for Direct Conversion of Heat in Electrical Power

Ing. Giovanni Pennelli
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione: Elettronica, Informatica, Telecomunicazioni, Università di Pisa

20 hours, 5 credits

September 17 - September 21, 2012

Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione: Elettronica, Informatica, Telecomunicazioni, via Caruso, meeting room, ground floor

Abstract

Recently, it has been demonstrated that, at nanometric scale, condensed matter shows peculiar properties, both from the point of view of the electrical conductivity and of the thermal transport. This offers interesting prospectives for the fabrication of devices, based on nanometric structures, capable of enhanced thermoelectric properties. In particular, it could make possible a direct conversion of heat in electrical power with efficiencies comparable, or even higher than those obtained by conventional fluid machines. Moreover, these advanced nano-thermoelectric devices will offer advantages of extreme compactness, simplicity and reliability due to the absence of mechanical moving part. High efficiency nanothermoelectric devices will offer the opportunity of advanced applications in the field of energy harvesting. For example, they could be employed for the recovery of waste heat of industrial activities, as also to the direct conversion of geothermal heat; one of the most intriguing appllication could be the exploitation of the solar heating, that could be directly converted in electrical power with efficiencies well beyond the ones obtained with actual state of the art photovoltaic plants.

In the course, the main properties of thermoelectric phenomena will be illustrated by starting from basic principles of solid state physics. It will be shown as these principles can be applied to nanostructures and nanodevices, and their peculiar thermal and electrical properties will be demonstrated. The more recent experimental studies on thermal and electrical transport in nanodevices will be illustrated and discussed. Advanced nanofabrication techniques will be discussed and their application to nanodevice for thermoelectric conversion will be illustrated.

Syllabus

• nanodevices.
  
• thermal transport.
  
• thermoelectric conversion.
  
• high efficiency energy harvesting.
  
• nanofabrication.