The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a thermoelectric device. The method includes disposing a metal layer on a dielectric layer to form a sub-assembly, forming patterned circuits on the metal layer, forming blind vias in the dielectric layer, fabricating first thermoelectric elements in a first series of blind vias, and fabricating second thermoelectric elements in a second series of blind vias to form thermoelectric units with the first thermoelectric elements and the patterned circuits. The sub-assembly is configured to be joined to an adjacent sub-assembly along a first direction, and the first and second thermoelectric elements of each thermoelectric unit are aligned in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The present disclosure further relates to a thermoelectric device which includes a plurality of thermoelectric units forming a strip extending in a first direction.

The present disclosure is related to structures for and methods for producing thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric devices include multiple stages of thermoelements. Each stage includes alternating n-type and p-type thermoelements. The stages are sandwiched between upper and lower sets of metal links fabricated on a pair of substrate layers. The metal links electrically connect pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements from each stage. There may be additional sets of metal links between the multiple stages. The individual thermoelements may be sized to handle differing amounts of electric current to optimize performance based on their location within the multistage device.

The present disclosure is related to structures for and methods for producing thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric devices include multiple stages of thermoelements. Each stage includes alternating n-type and p-type thermoelements. The stages are sandwiched between upper and lower sets of metal links fabricated on a pair of substrate layers. The metal links electrically connect pairs of n-type and p-type thermoelements from each stage. There may be additional sets of metal links between the multiple stages. The individual thermoelements may be sized to handle differing amounts of electric current to optimize performance based on their location within the multistage device.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes: a thermoelectric member that is columnar; an insulator formed around the thermoelectric member; and a metal layer formed continuously on an edge surface of the thermoelectric member and an edge surface of the insulator. An edge portion of the thermoelectric member and an edge portion of the insulator define a gap covered with the metal layer. The inner portion of the gap covered with the metal layer is a void.

Devices for generating electrical energy along with methods of fabrication and methods of use are disclosed. An example device can comprise one or more layers of a transition metal dichalcogenide material. An example device can comprise a mechano-electric generator. Another example device can comprise a thermoelectric generator.

Devices for generating electrical energy along with methods of fabrication and methods of use are disclosed. An example device can comprise one or more layers of a transition metal dichalcogenide material. An example device can comprise a mechano-electric generator. Another example device can comprise a thermoelectric generator.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for scalable manufacturing of thermoelectric device modules for multiple uses on a single substrate. An example method can include disposing thermoelectric structures on a substrate, the substrate having a first substrate material, and the thermoelectric structures having a thermoelectric material disposed on a second substrate material. The example method can further include removing the second substrate material from each of the thermoelectric structures. The example method can further include forming electrical contacts on a top surface of each respective one of the thermoelectric structures. The example method can further include forming top headers over subsets of the electrical contacts. The example method can further include forming thermoelectric device modules, each of the thermoelectric device modules having at least a pair of the thermoelectric structures and at least one of the top headers.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion material portion having a compound semiconductor composed of first base material element A and second base material element B and represented by A.sub.x-cB.sub.y with value of x being smaller by c with respect to a compound A.sub.xB.sub.y according to a stoichiometric ratio, a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion, and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode. An A-B phase diagram includes a first region corresponding to low temperature phase, second region corresponding to high temperature phase, and third region corresponding to coexisting phase, sandwiched between the low temperature phase and the high temperature phase, in which the low and high temperature phases coexist. A temperature at a boundary between the first region and the third region changes monotonically with a change in c.

To provide a thermoelectric conversion material having low environmental load and an excellent thermoelectric figure of merit ZT and a thermoelectric conversion module including the thermoelectric conversion material. A thermoelectric conversion material of the present invention is characterized by being a compound represented by Chemical Formula (1).
Cu.sub.26-xM.sub.xA.sub.2E.sub.6-yS.sub.32  (1)
In Chemical Formula (1), M represents a metal material including at least one of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn; A represents a metal material including at least one of Nb and Ta; E represents a metal material including at least one of Si, Ge, and Sn; x represents a numerical value of 0 or more and 4 or less; and y represents a numerical value of more than 0 and 1 or less.

The present invention provides: a thermoelectric conversion material capable of being produced in a simplified manner and at a lower cost and excellent in thermoelectric performance and flexibility, and a method for producing the material. The thermoelectric conversion material has, on a support, a thin film of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition containing thermoelectric semiconductor fine particles, a heat-resistant resin and an inorganic ionic compound. The method for producing a thermoelectric conversion material having, on a support, a thin film of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition containing thermoelectric semiconductor fine particles, a heat-resistant resin and an inorganic ionic compound includes a step of applying a thermoelectric semiconductor composition containing thermoelectric semiconductor fine particles, a heat-resistant resin and an inorganic ionic compound onto a support and drying it to form a thin film thereon, and a step of annealing the thin film.