A photodetector comprising a photoabsorber, comprising a doped semiconductor, a contact layer comprising a doped semiconductor and a barrier layer comprising a charge carrier compensated semiconductor, the barrier layer compensated by doping impurities such that it exhibits a valence band energy level substantially equal to the valence band energy level of the photo absorbing layer and a conduction band energy level exhibiting a significant band gap in relation to the conduction band of the photo absorbing layer, the barrier layer disposed between the photoabsorber and contact layers. The relationship between the photo absorbing layer and contact layer valence and conduction band energies and the barrier layer conduction and valance band energies is selected to facilitate minority carrier current flow while inhibiting majority carrier current flow between the contact and photo absorbing layers.

An electronic apparatus includes a first thermoelectric converter that converts thermal energy dissipated from a heat source into electrical energy, a second thermoelectric converter provided on a side of a low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter and that converts electrical energy into thermal energy, and a power supply controller that controls supply of power to the second thermoelectric converter such that the low-temperature portion of the first thermoelectric converter is cooled or heated.

The invention relates to a thermoelectric device including a pair of different conductors joined at one head end to form a thermocouple junction, the opposite tail ends being free. The conductors have a circular or elliptical section, are arranged side-by-side in proximity of the head end and are joined by laser welding. Several pairs of conductors may be connected together by joining also the tail ends of a conductor of a pair with the tail end of the different conductor of another pair to form a thermopile comprising thermocouple junctions in series. The invention further relates to a process of manufacturing the device.

A thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a cold sink; a thermoelectric element having a heat absorption surface coupled to the cold sink; a heat sink coupled to a heating surface of the thermoelectric element to dissipate heat transferred from the cold sink to the outside of the thermoelectric element; and a sealing cover for connecting the edge of the cold sink and the edge of the heat sink to surround the thermoelectric element, wherein the cold sink, the heat sink, and the thermoelectric element may be integrally formed by the sealing cover.

In addition, the thermoelectric element may be a cascade type thermoelectric element in which two thermoelectric elements having the same or different specifications are coupled to each other.

A multi-stage cascaded thermoelectrical cooler (TEC) package is used in conjunction with an air cooling system to control temperature of battery cells in a battery module such that the temperature differences stay within a predetermined range. Battery cells in the battery module are divided into one or more regular sections and one or more TEC enhancing sections. A regular section and a TEC enhancing section can use different types of battery cell holders to assemble the battery cells. TECs in the TEC package are integrated into each enhancing section, where each stage of the TEC package is attached to one or more battery cells in a different region of the enhancing section. A higher stage, which is more powerful in enhancing heat transfer and extracting heat from battery cells, is attached to one or more battery cells in a section closer to the air outlet. The TEC package is powered by a discharging convertor circuit of the battery module.

Provided herein is a thermoelectric element that includes a cold end, a hot end, and a p-type or n-type material having a length between the hot end and the cold end. The p-type or n-type material has an intrinsic Seebeck coefficient (S), an electrical resistivity (ρ), and a thermal conductivity (λ). Each of two or more of S, ρ, and λ generally increases along the length from the cold end to the hot end. The thermoelectric element may be provided in single-stage thermoelectric devices providing enhanced maximum temperature differences. The single-stage thermoelectric devices maybe combined with one another to provide multi-stage thermoelectric devices with even further enhanced maximum temperature differences.

A thermoelectric module is provided. The thermoelectric module includes: a first thermoelectric material unit including a first unit thermoelectric material disposed in a first direction; and a second thermoelectric material unit electrically connected to the first thermoelectric material unit and including a second unit thermoelectric material disposed in a second direction that intersects the first direction.

A temperature control component includes a TEC that includes a top surface and a bottom surface. A thermal conduction layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the thermal conduction layer is coupled to the bottom surface of the TEC. The bottom surface of the thermal conduction layer includes a planar area. The planar area of the thermal conduction layer is to be positioned above two or more electronic devices of multiple electronic devices of an electronic system to transfer the thermal energy at the two or more electronic devices.

A fast-rate thermoelectric device control system includes a fast-rate thermoelectric device, a sensor, and a controller. The fast-rate thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric actuator array disposed on a wafer, and the thermoelectric actuator array includes a thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuator that generates a heating and/or a cooling effect in response to an electrical current. The sensor is configured to measure a temperature associated with the heating or cooling effect and output a feedback signal indicative of the measured temperature. The controller is in communication with the fast-rate thermoelectric device and the sensor, and is configured to control the electrical current based on the feedback signal.

A thermoelectric module includes a stack structure of a plurality of insulating layers, a plurality of thermoelectric elements formed with the insulating layer interposed therebetween and including a first-type semiconductor device, a second-type semiconductor device, a first electrode connected to the first-type semiconductor device, a second electrode connected to the second-type semiconductor device, and a connection electrode connecting the first-type and second-type semiconductor devices, and a conductive via penetrating through the insulating layer to connect thermoelectric elements adjacent to each other, among the plurality of thermoelectric elements.