Methods of making various fibers are provided including co-axial fibers with oppositely doped cladding and core are provide; hollow core doped silicon carbide fibers are provided; and doubly clad PIN junction fibers are provided. Additionally methods are provided for forming direct PN junctions between oppositely doped fibers are provided. Various thermoelectric generators that incorporate the aforementioned fibers are provided.

Methods of making various fibers are provided including co-axial fibers with oppositely doped cladding and core are provide; hollow core doped silicon carbide fibers are provided; and doubly clad PIN junction fibers are provided. Additionally methods are provided for forming direct PN junctions between oppositely doped fibers are provided. Various thermoelectric generators that incorporate the aforementioned fibers are provided.

A heating and cooling device is disclosed comprising at least one integral low voltage heating and cooling source and an efficient flexible heat distribution means having a thermal conductivity of from 375 to 4000 W/mK for distributing the heat and cool across a surface. Further aspects include thermal interface compounds to provide full thermal contact as well as the use of a phase change material to provide a long lasting heating and/or cooling effect without the use of external electrical input. Preferred applications include automotive and furniture seating heating and cooling, along with outdoor garments having distributed heating and cooling effects.

The invention provides a portable electronic system. The portable electronic system includes a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a substrate. A semiconductor die is coupled to the substrate. A thermoelectric device chip is disposed close to the semiconductor die, coupled to the substrate. The thermoelectric device chip is configured to detect a heat energy generated from the semiconductor die and to convert the heat energy into a recycled electrical energy. A power system is coupled to the semiconductor package, configured to store the recycled electrical energy.

A semiconductor sintered body comprising a polycrystalline body, wherein the polycrystalline body comprises silicon or a silicon alloy, and the average grain size of the crystal grains constituting the polycrystalline body is 1 μm or less, and the electrical conductivity is 10,000 S/m or higher.

Thermoelectric energy harvesting systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable energy harvesting. One embodiment includes a thermoelectric energy harvesting (TEH) system comprising a TEH comprising a thin-film array-based TEH source; start-up mode circuitry comprising: an upper branch comprising: a mode switch configured to allow selection of the upper branch; an inductive-load ring oscillator (ILRO); a charge pump configured to receive an input from the ILRO and output current, where output current is utilized to charge an upper branch capacitor; a lower branch comprising: an inductor; an active diode configured to transfer energy stored in the inductor to an output capacitor; maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) mode circuitry, where the MPPT loop comprises: a mode control unit; a gate controller; a clock generator configured to generate at least one control signal; an analog-domain MPPT unit configured to receive the at least one generated control signal.

A method is provided for making a multilayer functional fiber, where the method includes: providing a scaffold fiber; disposing a first electrode layer enclosing the scaffold fiber; disposing a functional layer enclosing the first electrode layer, the functional layer having a functional characteristic varying as a function of longitudinal position along the functional layer; disposing a second electrode layer enclosing the functional layer; and disposing a cladding layer enclosing the second electrode layer. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted method.

A thermoelectric converter is provided where an n-type boron carbide element is paired with a p-type boron carbide element and placed between a eat sink and a high temperature are, such as the ocean in which a submarine operates, and the interior of that submarine, respectively. Boron carbide elements suitable for use in this invention are deposited from meta carborane (n-type) together with dopants to emphasize n-type character, such as chromocene, and orthocarborane, together with dopants to emphasize p-type character, such as 1,4 diaminobenzene to form the p-type element.

Disclosed is system, method, and rack stand portion for the advantageous cooling of computer equipment 305. The rack stand 200 includes a hollow body 210, 212 that may be formed of cartridges 2416. Gas from an airflow source 5204 is guided into the rack stand body and then into a sealed case of the computer equipment. Air flow is then guided out of the computer equipment for recirculation, exhaust, or other purpose.

A solar electricity generation system is provided for generating electrical current from an improved solar system. The solar electricity generation system may include semiconductor layers, a thermoelectric component, angular configuration, and a monitoring component. A bias current may be applied to amplify the electrical power generated by the semiconductor layers. A method for generating electrical current from an improved solar system using the solar electricity generation system is also provided.