A thermoelectric module includes a plurality of thermoelectric components, a first electrode and a second electrode. The thermoelectric components have the same type of semiconductor material. The first electrode includes a first parallel connection part and a first serial connection part. The plurality of thermoelectric components is electrically connected to the first parallel connection part and each of the plurality of thermoelectric components is separated from one another. The first serial connection part is configured for being electrically connected to other electrical components. The plurality of thermoelectric components is electrically connected to the second electrode and located between the first parallel connection part and the second electrode.

The present invention provides a conversion material including a first phase providing a matrix and a second phase comprising a nanoscale or microscale material providing electron mobility. The conversion material converts heat from a single macroscopic reservoir into voltage.

A thermoelectric composition is provided that includes a nanocomposite comprising a copper selenide (Cu.sub.2Se) matrix having a plurality of nanoinclusions comprising copper metal selenide (CuMSe.sub.2) distributed therein. M may be selected from the group consisting of: indium (In), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), and combinations thereof. The thermoelectric composition has an average figure of merit (ZT) of greater than or equal to about 1.5 at a temperature of less than or equal to about 850K (about 577 C.). Methods of making such a thermoelectric nanocomposite material by a sequential solid-state transformation of a CuSe.sub.2 precursor are also provided.

System for storing and using energy quantum mechanically includes an electronic device that produces heat while operating. A quantum heat engine can be in thermal contact with and electrically connected to the electronic device. The heat produced by the electronic device can dissipate to the quantum heat engine. The quantum heat engine can induce a current to bias the electronic device. Methods for storing and using memory resource to convert heat into electrical work, coherence capacitors, methods for quantum energy storage, and quantum heat engines, are also disclosed.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a cable. The cable includes a first member extended in the axis direction of the cable, and a second member extended in the axis direction to cover at least a part of the outer face of the first member. One of the first and second members is a magnetic body. The other of the first and second members is a conductive body formed of material exhibiting a spin orbit coupling.

A thermoelectric module includes a plurality of thermoelectric components, a first electrode and a second electrode. The thermoelectric components have the same type of semiconductor material. The first electrode includes a first parallel connection part and a first serial connection part. The plurality of thermoelectric components is electrically connected to the first parallel connection part and each of the plurality of thermoelectric components is separated from one another. The first serial connection part is configured for being electrically connected to other electrical components. The plurality of thermoelectric components is electrically connected to the second electrode and located between the first parallel connection part and the second electrode.

A method for forming a junction in a germanium (Ge) layer of a substrate includes arranging the substrate in a processing chamber. The method includes performing a plasma pretreatment on the substrate in the processing chamber for a predetermined pretreatment period using a pretreatment plasma gas mixture including hydrogen gas species. The method includes supplying a doping plasma gas mixture to the processing chamber including a phosphorous (P) gas species and an antimony (Sb) gas species. The method includes striking plasma in the processing chamber for a predetermined doping period. The method includes annealing the substrate during a predetermined annealing period to form the junction in the germanium (Ge) layer.

According to one embodiment, a power generation element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first member, and a second member. The first member includes a first crystal and is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first crystal has a wurtzite structure. The second member is separated from the first member and is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer. A <000-1> direction of the first crystal has a component from the first member toward the second member.

An infrared sensor comprises a base substrate including a recess, a bolometer infrared ray receiver, and a Peltier device. The bolometer infrared ray receiver comprises a resistance variable layer, a bolometer first beam, and a bolometer second beam. The Peltier device comprises a Peltier first beam formed of a p-type semiconductor material and a Peltier second beam formed of an n-type semiconductor material. The Peltier device is in contact with a back surface of the bolometer infrared ray receiver. One end of each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam is connected to the base substrate. The bolometer infrared ray receiver and the Peltier device are suspended above the base substrate. Each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam has a phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly.

A semiconductor device and method is disclosed. In one example, the method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a trench extending from a front side surface of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming of material to be structured inside the trench. Material to be structured is irradiated with a tilted reactive ion beam at a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the front side surface such that an undesired portion of the material to be structured is removed due to the irradiation with the tilted reactive ion beam while an irradiation of another portion of the material to be structured is masked by an edge of the trench.