A thermoelectric module includes two insulating substrates supporting a plurality of thermoelectric fingers. Each thermoelectric finger has alternating strips of n-type doped material and p-type doped material, wherein adjacent n-type doped strips and p-type doped strips are separated by and electrically coupled to conductive regions. The thermoelectric fingers run in a first direction and are spaced apart from each other. A plurality of holes in the insulating substrates are disposed between adjacent thermoelectric fingers, and area aligned with each other. A length of fabric yarn woven is in and out of substantially aligned holes in each substantially aligned set of holes.

A thermoelectric element according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first substrate, a first insulating layer disposed on the first substrate, a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer, a first electrode disposed on the second insulating layer, and a semiconductor structure disposed on the first electrode, wherein the first insulating layer includes an uneven portion, a partial region of the first electrode is buried in the second insulating layer, the second insulating layer includes a concave portion which is concave in a direction toward the first insulating layer from a side surface of the first electrode, and the concave portion vertically overlaps the uneven portion.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to spintronic devices, and more specifically to self-cooling spintronic devices. In an embodiment, a device is provided. The device includes a spintronic device having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first layer disposed on the first side, and a second layer disposed on the second side, the first layer having a Seebeck coefficient that is different from a Seebeck coefficient of the second layer.

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit structure includes forming active regions, forming source/drain regions, and forming conductive segments resulting in a thermoelectric structure including a p-type region positioned on a front side of the substrate, an n-type region positioned on the front side of the substrate, and a wire on the front side of the substrate configured to electrically couple the p-type region to the n-type region. The method includes forming a first via configured to thermally couple the p-type region to a first power structure on a back side of the substrate, forming a second via configured to thermally couple the n-type region to a second power structure on the back side of the substrate, and electrically coupling an energy device to each of the first and second power structures.

An air monitoring system measures tan amount of pollutant in the air. The system includes a plurality of air quality sensor devices arranged within a selected area. Each of the air quality sensor devices is configured to measure air pollutant levels in the selected area, and includes at least one sensor operatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured input from the at least one sensor. A wireless communication device is coupled to the controller, and is configured to communicate with a central server device.

An air monitoring system measures tan amount of pollutant in the air. The system includes a plurality of air quality sensor devices arranged within a selected area. Each of the air quality sensor devices is configured to measure air pollutant levels in the selected area, and includes at least one sensor operatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured input from the at least one sensor. A wireless communication device is coupled to the controller, and is configured to communicate with a central server device.

A thermoelectric conversion module is formed by arranging, on one surface, a plurality of thermoelectric conversion element pairs in which an n-type thermoelectric conversion element and a p-type thermoelectric conversion element are connected by interposing an electrode plate, and connecting the plurality of the thermoelectric conversion element pairs in series; and the thermoelectric conversion module has a first output terminal provided on one thermoelectric conversion element pair arranged at one end side of the plurality of the thermoelectric conversion element pairs connected in series, a second output terminal provided on the other thermoelectric conversion element pair arranged at the other end side of the plurality of the thermoelectric conversion element pairs connected in series, and an intermediate output terminal provided at any position between the thermoelectric conversion element pair arranged at the one end side and the thermoelectric conversion element pair arranged at the other end side.

The present invention discloses an asymmetrical PN junction thermoelectric couple structure and its parameter determination method. By changing the structural parameters of p-type semiconductor or n-type semiconductor, the current generated by p-type semiconductor is equal to the current generated by the n-type semiconductor, so that the high-efficiency output of PN junction thermoelectric couple can be realized. Meanwhile, the present invention provides a method for determining the parameters of PN junction based on the numerical solution method. Finally, the optimal size parameters of PN junction are obtained.

Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

A power generation element includes: a substrate including mutually opposed first and second principal surfaces; an electrode portion provided on the first principal surface and the second principal surface, the electrode portion including a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion; and an intermediate portion including nanoparticles. The substrate includes a first substrate portion and a second substrate portion that are mutually overlapped viewed in a first direction. The first principal surface of the first substrate portion includes a first separated surface and a first joint surface. The second principal surface of the second substrate portion includes a second separated surface and a second joint surface.