A nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device and processes for fabricating a nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device is provided. In one implementation, for example, a nanophononic metamaterial-based thermoelectric energy conversion device includes a first conductive pad, a second conductive pad, and a plurality of strip units. In one implementation, the first conductive pad is coupled to a first connection of the thermoelectric energy conversion device, and the second conductive pad is coupled to a second connection of the thermoelectric energy conversion device. The plurality of strip units are connected in series between the first and second conductive pads and provide a parallel heat transfer pathway. The strip units include a nanostructure design comprising a nanophononic metamaterial.

A novel thermopile having high sensitivity and reliability at the time of measuring a flow rate of gas in a thermopile sensor is provided. A thermopile sensor includes a thermopile in which pairings of PolySi and a metal film are connected in series on an insulating film, the metal film is connected so as to overlap on the PolySi in each pair, the metal film crosses a gap between the PolySi and the PolySi in a connection portion between pairings, and a gap between the PolySis in a portion where the metal film crosses is wider than a gap between the PolySis in the remaining portion.

There is provided a thermoelectric conversion material in which a first layer containing Mg.sub.2Si.sub.xSn.sub.1-x (here, 0<x<1) is directly joined to a second layer containing Mg.sub.2Si.sub.ySn.sub.1-y (here, 0<y<1), where x/y is set within a range of more than 1.0 and less than 2.0. There is also provided a thermoelectric conversion element including the thermoelectric conversion material and electrodes each joined to one surface and the other surface of the thermoelectric conversion material. There is also provided a thermoelectric conversion module including terminals each joined to the electrodes of the thermoelectric conversion element.

There is provided a thermoelectric conversion material in which a first layer containing Mg.sub.2Si.sub.xSn.sub.1-x (here, 0<x<1) is directly joined to a second layer containing Mg.sub.2Si.sub.ySn.sub.1-y (here, 0<y<1), where x/y is set within a range of more than 1.0 and less than 2.0. There is also provided a thermoelectric conversion element including the thermoelectric conversion material and electrodes each joined to one surface and the other surface of the thermoelectric conversion material. There is also provided a thermoelectric conversion module including terminals each joined to the electrodes of the thermoelectric conversion element.

Provided is a novel thermoelectric conversion element with which the thermoelectric power generated in a direction orthogonal to both a temperature gradient and the magnetization can be increased without changing the thermoelectric conversion characteristic of a magnetic material. The present invention is provided with: thermoelectric layer 10 comprising a thermoelectric material exhibiting the Seebeck effect; magnetic body layer 20 stacked on thermoelectric layer 10, said magnetic body layer 20 being conductive and the magnetization or an external magnetic field thereof being oriented in the thickness direction of magnetic body layer 20; low-temperature-side conductor part 44 connecting low-temperature-side end portion 12 of thermoelectric layer 10 and low-temperature-side end portion 22 of magnetic body layer 20; high-temperature-side conductor part 42 connecting high-temperature-side end portion 14 of thermoelectric layer 10 and high-temperature-side end portion 24 of magnetic body layer 20; and output terminals (26a, 26b) for extracting a potential generated in the vector product direction of temperature gradient direction (∇T) of thermoelectric layer 10 and magnetization direction (M) of magnetic body layer 20.

An apparatus and method perform supersonic cold-spraying to deposit N and P-type thermoelectric semiconductor, and other polycrystalline materials on other materials of varying complex shapes. The process developed has been demonstrated for bismuth and antimony telluride formulations as well as Tetrahedrite type copper sulfosalt materials. Both thick and thin layer thermoelectric semiconductor material is deposited over small or large areas to flat and highly complex shaped surfaces and will therefore help create a far greater application set for thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems. This process when combined with other manufacturing processes allows the total additive manufacturing of complete thermoelectric generator based waste heat recovery systems. The processes also directly apply to both thermoelectric cooler (TEC) systems, thermopile devices, and other polycrystalline functional material applications.

There is provided a far infrared (FIR) sensor device including a substrate, a thermopile structure and a heat absorption layer. The thermopile structure is arranged on the substrate. The heat absorption layer covers upon the thermopile structure, wherein the heat absorption layer has a hollow space which is formed by etching a metal layer in the heat absorption layer.

A thermionic energy converter, preferably including an anode and a cathode. An anode of a thermionic energy converter, preferably including an n-type semiconductor, one or more supplemental layers, and an electrical contact. A method for work function reduction and/or thermionic energy conversion, preferably including inputting thermal energy to a thermionic energy converter, illuminating an anode of the thermionic energy converter, thereby preferably reducing a work function of the anode, and extracting electrical power from the system.

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric measurement system based on a liquid eutectic gallium-indium electrode, whereby thermoelectric performance can be measured with excellent efficiency and high reproducibility even without construction of expensive equipment, various organic molecules as well as large-area molecular layers can be measured, and various thermoelectric materials, such as inorganic materials and inorganic-organic composite materials, can be measured. In addition, non-toxic liquid metal EGaIn is used as an upper electrode, so the damage to even a substance of measurement in the form of a nano-level thin film can be minimized, and the measurement of thermoelectric performance can be performed on even nano- to micro-level organic thermoelectric elements. Therefore, the thermoelectric measurement system is widely utilized across the thermoelectric element industry.

A thermoelectric element according to one example of the present invention comprises: a first substrate; a first insulating layer disposed on the first substrate; a first bonding layer disposed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer disposed on the first bonding layer; a first electrode disposed on the second insulating layer; a P-type thermoelectric leg and N-type thermoelectric leg, disposed on the first electrode; a second electrode disposed on the P-type thermoelectric leg and N-type thermoelectric leg; a third insulating layer disposed on the second electrode; and a second substrate disposed on the third insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer is composed of a composite comprising silicon and aluminum, the second insulating layer is a resin layer composed of a resin composition comprising an inorganic filler and at least one of an epoxy resin and a silicone resin, and the first bonding layer comprises a silane coupling agent.