Micromachined thermoelectric test device based on silicon/germanium superlattices: Simulation, preparation and characterization of thermoelectric behavior

Strain-symmetrized superlattice structures based on epitaxially grown Si/Ge multilayers are expected to be promising systems for efficient thermoelectric micro-systems. The paper presents the development of a membrane-type sensor device consisting of Si/Ge superlattice and Si_xGe_1-x-alloy legs allowing the study of the thermoelectric behavior at minimized influence of the supporting substrate components. By means of numerical simulation the optimum layout parameters were determined as well as the temperature distribution within the device including the sensitivity to be expected were estimated. Black body radiation measurements of the functional parameters on nearly freestanding thermopile arrays in the sensor regime are presented.