An electronic device includes a first portion and a second portion, an electric power generating device and a load device. The electronic device is disposed in an opening of a connected space, and the electronic device and a wall have the opening divide the connected space into the first space and the second space. The first portion is located in a first space having a first ambient temperature, and the second portion is located in a second space having a second ambient temperature. The electric power generating device is configured to generate a thermo-electromotive force based on a temperature difference between the first ambient temperature and the second ambient temperature to generate electrical energy. The load device is configured to obtain the electrical energy and operate on the electrical energy.

The present invention introduces a new hybrid thermal energy harvesting device that combines electrochemistry and semiconductors to achieve simultaneous high saturation thermo-voltage and high current density. This innovation demonstrates the synergistic effect of integrating semiconductors, commonly used in solid-state thermoelectrics for high current density, with ion-conducting polymer electrolytes, known for their high thermo-voltage. The device ensures constant high-power output from continuous or periodic heat sources. It directly converts heat into electricity for immediate use or stores electricity derived from low-grade temperature differentials and temperature ranges for later discharge. It exhibits characteristics resembling both photovoltaics and capacitors simultaneously.

The present invention introduces a new hybrid thermal energy harvesting device that combines electrochemistry and semiconductors to achieve simultaneous high saturation thermo-voltage and high current density. This innovation demonstrates the synergistic effect of integrating semiconductors, commonly used in solid-state thermoelectrics for high current density, with ion-conducting polymer electrolytes, known for their high thermo-voltage. The device ensures constant high-power output from continuous or periodic heat sources. It directly converts heat into electricity for immediate use or stores electricity derived from low-grade temperature differentials and temperature ranges for later discharge. It exhibits characteristics resembling both photovoltaics and capacitors simultaneously.

A thermoelectric module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first metal support; a first heat conductive layer arranged on the first metal support and formed from a resin composition including an epoxy resin and an inorganic filler; a second heat conductive layer arranged on the first heat conductive layer and formed from a resin composition including a silicon resin and an inorganic filler a plurality of first electrodes arranged on the second heat conductive layer a plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs alternately arranged on the plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrodes arranged on the plurality of P-type thermoelectric legs and the plurality of N-type thermoelectric legs; a third heat conductive layer arranged on the plurality of second electrodes, and made from the same resin composition as the resin composition that forms the first heat conductive layer; and a second metal support arranged on the third heat conductive layer, wherein the second heat conductive layer is arranged to encompass an upper surface of the first heat conductive layer and a side surface of the first heat conductive layer.

An infrared thermopile sensor includes a silicon cover having an infrared lens, an infrared sensing chip having duo-thermopile sensing elements, and a microcontroller chip calculating a temperature of an object. The components are in a stacked 3D package to decrease the size of the infrared thermopile sensor. The infrared sensing chip and the microcontroller chip have metal layers to shield the thermal radiation. The conversion from wrist temperature to body core temperature uses detected ambient temperature and fixed humidity or imported humidity level to calculate the body core temperature based on experimental data and curve fitting. The skin temperature compensation can be set differently for different sex gender, different standard deviation of wrist temperature and external relative humidity reading.

An infrared thermopile sensor includes a silicon cover having an infrared lens, an infrared sensing chip having duo-thermopile sensing elements, and a microcontroller chip calculating a temperature of an object. The components are in a stacked 3D package to decrease the size of the infrared thermopile sensor. The infrared sensing chip and the microcontroller chip have metal layers to shield the thermal radiation. The conversion from wrist temperature to body core temperature uses detected ambient temperature and fixed humidity or imported humidity level to calculate the body core temperature based on experimental data and curve fitting. The skin temperature compensation can be set differently for different sex gender, different standard deviation of wrist temperature and external relative humidity reading.

The disclosure is related to structures and method of making thermoelectric devices. The structures include an electrically nonconductive and thermally conductive substrate with direct bonded or electroplated copper. Thermoelement pairs are formed on a barrier layer deposited on the outer layers of the substrate in gaps formed from insulator material deposited on the barrier layer. Openings in the barrier layer may be filled with an insulator to isolate thermoelements, which may then be bridged by a metal layer. Thermoelement pairs may be combined to form larger devices.

The disclosure is related to structures and method of making thermoelectric devices. The structures include an electrically nonconductive and thermally conductive substrate with direct bonded or electroplated copper. Thermoelement pairs are formed on a barrier layer deposited on the outer layers of the substrate in gaps formed from insulator material deposited on the barrier layer. Openings in the barrier layer may be filled with an insulator to isolate thermoelements, which may then be bridged by a metal layer. Thermoelement pairs may be combined to form larger devices.

A thermoelectric element according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first electrode; a semiconductor structure disposed on the first electrode; and a second electrode disposed on the semiconductor structure, wherein the bottom surface of the second electrode includes an overlap area vertically overlapping the first electrode, the semiconductor structure includes a top surface opposite to the second electrode, and the center of the top surface of the semiconductor structure is arranged to be offset from the center of the overlap area.

A thermoelectric element according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first electrode; a semiconductor structure disposed on the first electrode; and a second electrode disposed on the semiconductor structure, wherein the bottom surface of the second electrode includes an overlap area vertically overlapping the first electrode, the semiconductor structure includes a top surface opposite to the second electrode, and the center of the top surface of the semiconductor structure is arranged to be offset from the center of the overlap area.