A thermoelectric device includes active elements containing thermoelectric materials of silicon, an alloy of silicon, a metal-silicide or silicon composite and an interconnection zone consisting of a metal interconnect and a re-crystallized phase consisting of material from the active thermoelectric elements. The metal interconnect is from a metal that does not form metal silicides in a solid state, has a certain solubility for components of the thermoelectric elements in the liquid phase and a low solubility of these components in the solid phase. The active thermoelectric elements are shaped with a first and a second contact interface. The interconnection between the different thermoelectric elements consists of at least two phases of material, one of which is mainly the metallic interconnection material, the other is formed by the re-crystallized components of the thermoelectric materials.

This thermoelectric conversion module is formed by electrically connecting, by a conductive member, one end of an n-type thermoelectric conversion element having a negative Seebeck coefficient and having a half-Heusler structure to one end of a p-type thermoelectric conversion element containing an oxide having a positive Seebeck coefficient at a temperature of 25° C. or higher. The conductive member is connected to the n-type thermoelectric conversion element and the p-type thermoelectric conversion element through a connection layer containing a conductive metal comprising silver, and the connection layer is characterized by further containing an oxide to reduce the bond resistance between the n-type thermoelectric conversion element and/or the p-type thermoelectric conversion element.

This thermoelectric conversion module is formed by electrically connecting, by a conductive member, one end of an n-type thermoelectric conversion element having a negative Seebeck coefficient and having a half-Heusler structure to one end of a p-type thermoelectric conversion element containing an oxide having a positive Seebeck coefficient at a temperature of 25° C. or higher. The conductive member is connected to the n-type thermoelectric conversion element and the p-type thermoelectric conversion element through a connection layer containing a conductive metal comprising silver, and the connection layer is characterized by further containing an oxide to reduce the bond resistance between the n-type thermoelectric conversion element and/or the p-type thermoelectric conversion element.

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.

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 thermoelectric power generation module mounting substrate includes: a printed substrate having a heat transfer through-hole penetrating a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and being in contact with a housing on the second surface; and a thermoelectric power generation module mounted on the printed substrate in contact with the first surface.

Provided is a thermoelectric conversion module in which heat dissipation is further improved with a simple structure. The thermoelectric conversion module is a thermoelectric conversion module including a first electrode, a P-type thermoelectric element layer and an N-type thermoelectric element layer, and a second electrode disposed opposite the first electrode. The thermoelectric conversion module includes a plurality of PN-junction pairs in which the P-type thermoelectric element layer and the N-type thermoelectric element layer are PN-joined through the first electrode or the second electrode, the plurality of PN-junction pairs being electrically connected in series alternately by the first electrode and the second electrode. An area of the second electrode is larger than an area of the first electrode.

A thermoelectric device with multiple headers and a method of manufacturing such a device are provided herein. In some embodiments, a thermoelectric device includes multiple thermoelectric legs, a cold header thermally attached to the thermoelectric legs, and a hot header thermally attached to the thermoelectric legs opposite the cold header. At least one of the cold header and the hot header includes at least one score line. According to some embodiments disclosed herein, this the thermal stress on the thermoelectric device can be greatly reduced or relieved by splitting the header into multiple pieces or by scoring the header by a depth X. This enables the use of larger thermoelectric devices and/or thermoelectric devices with an increased lifespan.

A thermoelectric conversion module including, a first substrate having a first electrode, a second substrate having a second electrode, a chip of a thermoelectric conversion material made from a thermoelectric semiconductor composition, a first bonding material layer made from a first bonding material and bonding one surface of the chip of the thermoelectric conversion material and the first electrode, and a second bonding material layer made from a second bonding material and bonding another surface of the chip of the thermoelectric conversion material and the second electrode. A melting point of the second bonding material is lower than a melting point of the first bonding material, or the melting point of the second bonding material is lower than a curing temperature of the first bonding material.

A thermoelectric conversion module including, a first substrate having a first electrode, a second substrate having a second electrode, a chip of a thermoelectric conversion material made from a thermoelectric semiconductor composition, a first bonding material layer made from a first bonding material and bonding one surface of the chip of the thermoelectric conversion material and the first electrode, and a second bonding material layer made from a second bonding material and bonding another surface of the chip of the thermoelectric conversion material and the second electrode. A melting point of the second bonding material is lower than a melting point of the first bonding material, or the melting point of the second bonding material is lower than a curing temperature of the first bonding material.