Micro-scale thermoelectric devices having high thermal resistance and efficiency for use in cooling and energy harvesting applications and relating fabricating methods are disclosed. The thermoelectric devices include first substrates substantially parallel with second substrates. Scaffold members are deposited between the first and second substrate. The scaffold members include a plurality of cavities having sidewalls. The scaffold members may be formed from the second substrate. The sidewalls are substantially vertical with respect to the second substrate. The sidewalls may be substantially parallel. Thermoelectric materials are deposited on the sidewalls.

An Integrated Circuit (IC) assembly, comprising an IC package coupled to a substrate, and a subassembly comprising a thermal interface layer. The thermal interface layer comprises a phase change material (PCM) over the IC package. At least one thermoelectric cooling (TEC) apparatus is thermally coupled to the thermal interface layer.

There is provided a thermoelectric conversion material containing Cu and Se as main components, an element M including one or two or more elements selected from Group 10 elements and Group 11 elements excluding Cu, and optional element of Te. The thermoelectric conversion material is represented by the following chemical formula. Chemical Formula: Cu.sub.xSe.sub.(1−y)Te.sub.yM.sub.z,

1.95≤x<2.05,0≤y≤0.1,0.002≤z≤0.03.

There is provided a thermoelectric conversion material containing Cu and Se as main components, an element M including one or two or more elements selected from Group 10 elements and Group 11 elements excluding Cu, and optional element of Te. The thermoelectric conversion material is represented by the following chemical formula. Chemical Formula: Cu.sub.xSe.sub.(1−y)Te.sub.yM.sub.z,

1.95≤x<2.05,0≤y≤0.1,0.002≤z≤0.03.

The present invention relates to a preparation method of a stretchable inorganic thermoelectric thin film and the stretchable inorganic thermoelectric thin film prepared by the method.

The present invention relates to a preparation method of a stretchable inorganic thermoelectric thin film and the stretchable inorganic thermoelectric thin film prepared by the method.

In a step of pressing a laminate, the laminate is first pressed while being heated to a temperature lower than a melting point of a thermoplastic resin so as to elastically deform the thermoplastic resin and apply a pressure in a direction perpendicular to a laminating direction to thereby allow first and second conductive pastes to tightly adhere to front and rear surface patterns. Next, the laminate is pressed while being heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin so as to fluidize the thermoplastic resin while allowing the thermoplastic resin to flow out from the laminate and apply a pressure in the direction perpendicular to the laminating direction to thereby allow the first and second conductive pastes are solid-sintered.

Thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposite material that includes at least one component consisting of nanocrystals. A TE nanocomposite material in accordance with the present invention can include, but is not limited to, multiple nanocrystalline structures, nanocrystal networks or partial networks, or multi-component materials, with some components forming connected interpenetrating networks including nanocrystalline networks. The TE nanocomposite material can be in the form of a bulk solid having semiconductor nanocrystallites that form an electrically conductive network within the material. In other embodiments, the TE nanocomposite material can be a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having one network of p-type or n-type semiconductor domains and a low thermal conductivity semiconductor or dielectric network or domains separating the p-type or n-type domains that provides efficient phonon scattering to reduce thermal conductivity while maintaining the electrical properties of the p-type or n-type semiconductor.

Thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposite material that includes at least one component consisting of nanocrystals. A TE nanocomposite material in accordance with the present invention can include, but is not limited to, multiple nanocrystalline structures, nanocrystal networks or partial networks, or multi-component materials, with some components forming connected interpenetrating networks including nanocrystalline networks. The TE nanocomposite material can be in the form of a bulk solid having semiconductor nanocrystallites that form an electrically conductive network within the material. In other embodiments, the TE nanocomposite material can be a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having one network of p-type or n-type semiconductor domains and a low thermal conductivity semiconductor or dielectric network or domains separating the p-type or n-type domains that provides efficient phonon scattering to reduce thermal conductivity while maintaining the electrical properties of the p-type or n-type semiconductor.

A thermoelectric sintered body according to an embodiment comprises thermoelectric powder, the thermoelectric powder, arranged in a horizontal direction, comprising: a plurality of first powders in the shape of plate-type flakes; and a plurality of second powders in a shape different from that of the first powders, wherein the second powders comprise 5 volume % or less of the total thermoelectric powder.