A thermoelectric module includes a substrate; a thermoelectric element; a bonding portion including an electrode that bonds the substrate and the thermoelectric element; an organic material film that covers a front surface of the bonding portion; and an inorganic material film that covers the organic material film.

A sensor device according to the present disclosure includes: a Peltier element; a sensor element thermally connected to a cooling surface of the Peltier element; and a package substrate that is thermally connected to a heat dissipation surface of the Peltier element and accommodates the Peltier element and the sensor element. In addition, the package substrate has a heat dissipation member, made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than a material of the package substrate, on at least a part of a surface facing the heat dissipation surface of the Peltier element.

A thermoelectric module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a heat exchange unit; and a thermoelectric element disposed on the heat exchange unit, wherein the heat exchange unit includes a case for accommodating a material for heat exchange and a cover covering the case, the thermoelectric element is disposed on the cover, and the thermal conductivity of the cover is higher than the thermal conductivity of the case.

A thermoelectric module, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a substrate; a thermoelectric element arranged on the substrate to be spaced apart from each other; and a cover member arranged on the substrate and arranged on one side of the thermoelectric element, wherein the cover member includes a first side surface closest to one side of the thermoelectric element and a second side surface facing the first side surface, the first side surface includes a first groove concave toward the second side surface, the second side surface includes a second groove concave toward the first side surface, and the width of the first groove is greater than the width of the second groove.

A thermoelectric module, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a substrate; a thermoelectric element arranged on the substrate to be spaced apart from each other; and a cover member arranged on the substrate and arranged on one side of the thermoelectric element, wherein the cover member includes a first side surface closest to one side of the thermoelectric element and a second side surface facing the first side surface, the first side surface includes a first groove concave toward the second side surface, the second side surface includes a second groove concave toward the first side surface, and the width of the first groove is greater than the width of the second groove.

A system and method are disclosed for internally heated concentrated solar power (CSP) thermal absorbers. The system and method involve an energy-generating device having at least one heating unit. At least one heating unit preheats the energy-generating device in order to expedite the startup time of the energy-generating device, thereby allowing for an increase in efficiency for the production of energy. In some embodiments, the energy-generating device is a CSP thermal absorber. The CSP thermal absorber comprises a housing, a thermal barrier, a light-transparent reservoir containing a liquid alkali metal, at least one alkali metal thermal-to-electric converter (AMTEC) cell, an artery return channel, and at least one heating unit. Each heating unit comprises a heating device and a metal fin. The metal fin is submerged into the liquid alkali metal, thereby allowing the heating device to heat the liquid alkali metal via the fin.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

A microfluidic apparatus is provided that includes a thermoelectrically-activated pixel array, a microfluidic chip, and control circuitry. The pixel array may include a plurality of thermal pixels, with each thermal pixel including a thermoelectric device. The microfluidic chip may include a microfluidic channel disposed adjacent to the thermal pixels such that thermal energy generated by the thermal pixels is received by the microfluidic channel to form a localized spot within the microfluidic channel corresponding to each thermal pixel. The control circuitry may be electrically coupled to each of the thermal pixels and configured to control the thermal energy being generated by each thermal pixel to control a temperature at each localized spot within the microfluidic channel.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion material portion having a compound semiconductor composed of first base material element A and second base material element B and represented by A.sub.x-cB.sub.y with value of x being smaller by c with respect to a compound A.sub.xB.sub.y according to a stoichiometric ratio, a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion, and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode. An A-B phase diagram includes a first region corresponding to low temperature phase, second region corresponding to high temperature phase, and third region corresponding to coexisting phase, sandwiched between the low temperature phase and the high temperature phase, in which the low and high temperature phases coexist. A temperature at a boundary between the first region and the third region changes monotonically with a change in c.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion material portion having a compound semiconductor composed of first base material element A and second base material element B and represented by A.sub.x-cB.sub.y with value of x being smaller by c with respect to a compound A.sub.xB.sub.y according to a stoichiometric ratio, a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion, and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode. An A-B phase diagram includes a first region corresponding to low temperature phase, second region corresponding to high temperature phase, and third region corresponding to coexisting phase, sandwiched between the low temperature phase and the high temperature phase, in which the low and high temperature phases coexist. A temperature at a boundary between the first region and the third region changes monotonically with a change in c.