The present disclosure relates to a photoelectric conversion apparatus. The photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a carbon nanotube layer, a first thermoelectric conversion layer, a second thermoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode and a second electrode. The carbon nanotube layer includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. An areal density of the carbon nanotube layer is in a range from about 0.16 g/m.sup.2 to about 0.32 g/m.sup.2.

A flexible Peltier device in which emitting heat conversion properties between Peltier elements and an object transferring heat may be improved and a flexible heat-emitting sheet having the Peltier elements bonded thereto may be bent without worrying the separation there between. A flexible Peltier device includes a single or plural Peltier element which is disposed on one surface side of a heat-emitting sheet having flexibility made from heat-conductive rubber containing a heat conductive filler and each semiconductor element which has a heating side and a cooling side and composes the Peltier element at least one of the heating side and the cooling side is bonded integrally to the heat-emitting sheet by a direct covalent bond and/or by an indirect covalent bond through a molecular adhesive at active groups existing on each other surfaces.

An an apparatus for manufacturing a thermoelectric module is provided. The apparatus includes a thermoelectric element interposed between a lower substrate that includes a lower electrode and an upper substrate that includes an upper electrode. Additionally, the apparatus includes a first block that is configured to support the lower substrate and a second block that is configured to move vertically with respect to the first block and support the upper substrate. A jig is configured to position the thermoelectric element in connection with the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Provided is a preparation method for a thermoelectric composite. The preparation method for a thermoelectric composite comprises the steps of: preparing a base substrate containing a first binary metal oxide; and providing a metal precursor and a reaction material containing oxygen (O) onto the base substrate to form a material film containing a second biliary metal oxide resulting from the reaction of the metal precursor and the reaction material, wherein in the step of forming the material film, a 2-dimensional electron gas is generated between the base substrate and the material film as the material film is formed on the base substrate.

Provided is a preparation method for a thermoelectric composite. The preparation method for a thermoelectric composite comprises the steps of: preparing a base substrate containing a first binary metal oxide; and providing a metal precursor and a reaction material containing oxygen (O) onto the base substrate to form a material film containing a second biliary metal oxide resulting from the reaction of the metal precursor and the reaction material, wherein in the step of forming the material film, a 2-dimensional electron gas is generated between the base substrate and the material film as the material film is formed on the base substrate.

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.

A thermoelectric conversion module has a plurality of cold side substrates, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of second electrodes, X-axis connectors, and Y-axis connectors. The second electrodes are disposed on the cold side substrates six at a time. Between adjacent cold side substrates, two of X-axis connectors as inter-substrate connectors or Y-axis connectors are disposed. One of the plurality of inter-substrate connectors is connected from one of the first electrodes positioned on one of the cold side substrates to one of the second electrodes positioned on another one of the cold side substrates. The other inter-substrate connector is connected from the other one of the first electrodes on the another one of the cold side substrates to the second electrode on the one cold side substrate.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a substrate, a thermoelectric conversion layer disposed on a first main surface of the substrate, an insulating layer covering the thermoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connecting to a first main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a first contact hole of insulating layer, and a second electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connecting to the first main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a second contact hole of the insulating layer. At least a portion of the first electrode is formed from a material that has a work function that is different from a work function of a material forming the second electrode.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a substrate, a thermoelectric conversion layer disposed on a first main surface of the substrate, an insulating layer covering the thermoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connecting to a first main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a first contact hole of insulating layer, and a second electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connecting to the first main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a second contact hole of the insulating layer. At least a portion of the first electrode is formed from a material that has a work function that is different from a work function of a material forming the second electrode.

Thermoelectric conversion cells of a thermoelectric conversion element include a thermoelectric conversion layer formed on a main surface of a substrate, an insulating layer covering the thermoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode including a first layer and a second layer, and a second electrode. The first layer connects to the main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a first contact hole, and the second layer covers the first layer. The second electrode connects to the main surface of the thermoelectric conversion layer via a second contact hole. The second layer and the second electrode, and the first layer are formed from materials having different work functions. In thermoelectric conversion cells that are adjacent to each other, the second layer of one of the thermoelectric conversion cells and the second electrode of the other of the thermoelectric conversion cells are formed integrally, and the thermoelectric conversion cells are connected in series.