A thermoelectric element is provided as follows. First and second semiconductor fin structures are disposed on a semiconductor substrate. Each semiconductor fin structure extends in a first direction, protruding from the semiconductor substrate. First and second semiconductor nanowires are disposed on the first and second semiconductor fin structures, respectively. The first semiconductor nanowires include first impurities. The second semiconductor nanowires include second impurities different from the first impurities. A first electrode is connected to first ends of the first and second semiconductor nanowires. A second electrode is connected to second ends of the first semiconductor nanowires. A third electrode is connected to second ends of the second semiconductor nanowires.

An infrared sensor with a microstructure has a multiplicity of sensor rods protruding from a sensor base and arranged axially parallel to one another. Each of the sensor rods is designed as a thermocouple, in that a first rod end, arranged on the sensor base, is electrically connected to an opposite free second rod end by both a first and a second electrically conductive rod element. The two rod elements have a different Seebeck coefficient, and the first rod element is formed as a hollow profile and the second rod element is arranged in the first rod element such that each thermocouple is formed as a single rod with a small standing area on the sensor base.

A gas turbine engine includes a lubrication system, fuel system and thermoelectric heat exchanger adapted for selective operation in response to operational states of the gas turbine engine.

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as nanowires, include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

An integrated circuit system, structure and/or component is provided that includes an integrated electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element or component. The energy harvesting component provides a mechanism for generating autonomous renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in the integrated circuit system, structure and/or component. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. An energy harvesting component includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase a power output of the electric harvesting component.

An optical energy transfer and conversion system comprising a fiber spooler and an electrical power extraction subsystem connected to the spooler with an optical waveguide. Optical energy is generated at and transferred from a base station through fiber wrapped around the spooler, and ultimately to the power extraction system at a remote mobility platform for conversion to another form of energy. The fiber spooler may reside on the remote mobility platform which may be a vehicle, or apparatus that is either self-propelled or is carried by a secondary mobility platform either on land, under the sea, in the air or in space.

A method for forming an energy generating device which includes two layers of dissimilar materials in terms of electron density and configuration in contact with each other, sandwiched between an anode and a cathode. The two layers of dissimilar materials are each formed as a paste or ink and include an ionic material absorbed or incorporated into the two layers of dissimilar material. The ionic material facilitates the flow of electrons within the device, thereby creating a cell with an electric potential across an interface of the two layers of dissimilar material.

A thermoelectric device may include a housing that may have a first housing element and a second housing element. The first housing element and the second housing element may each be composed of an electrically conductive material. At least two thermoelectric elements may be arranged between the first housing element and the second housing element. The at least two thermoelectric elements may be arranged at a distance from each other and may be electrically connected via at least one conductor bridge. A first electrical insulator may be arranged between the at least two thermoelectric elements and the first housing element. A second electrical insulator may be arranged between the at least two thermoelectric elements and the second housing element.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion sheet possessing flexibility. The thermoelectric conversion sheet includes a magnetic layer, an electricity-generating layer that is formed on the magnetic layer so as to contact with the magnetic layer and that is formed of a material exhibiting spin orbit coupling, and a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the electricity-generating layer so as to contact with the electricity-generating layer. The first electrode and the second electrode extend in a longitudinal direction of the thermoelectric conversion sheet, and are separated from each other in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

A programmable temperature compensated voltage reference is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that uses a reference voltage and a code to generate a DAC output voltage. The apparatus also includes a temperature compensator that uses a temperature measurement (T) and the DAC code to generate a temperature compensation signal. The temperature compensation signal is represented by a third order polynomial equation. The apparatus also includes a signal combiner that combines the DAC output voltage and the temperature compensation signal to generate a temperature compensated programmable reference voltage.