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.

Photodiodes and nuclear batteries may utilize actinide oxides, such a uranium oxide. An actinide oxide photodiode may include a first actinide oxide layer and a second actinide oxide layer deposited on the first actinide oxide layer. The first actinide oxide layer may be n-doped or p-doped. The second actinide oxide layer may be p-doped when the first actinide oxide layer is n-doped, and the second actinide oxide layer may be n-doped when the first actinide oxide layer is p-doped. The first actinide oxide layer and the second actinide oxide layer may form a p/n junction therebetween. Photodiodes including actinide oxides are better light absorbers, can be used in thinner films, and are more thermally stable than silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide.

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.

A semiconductor sintered body comprising a polycrystalline body, wherein the polycrystalline body comprises silicon or a silicon alloy, and the average grain size of the crystal grains constituting the polycrystalline body is 1 μm or less, and the electrical conductivity is 10,000 S/m or higher.

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 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 device including an n-type thermoelectric converter, a p-type thermoelectric converter, a high temperature-side electrode with which one end of the n-type thermoelectric converter and one end of the p-type thermoelectric converter are put into contact, a first low temperature-side electrode in contact with another end of the n-type thermoelectric converter, and a second low temperature-side electrode in contact with another end of the p-type thermoelectric converter, wherein in the n-type thermoelectric converter, the side in contact with the high temperature-side electrode is composed of a carrier generation semiconductor containing Mg.sub.2Sn, and in the n-type thermoelectric converter, the side in contact with the first low temperature-side electrode is composed of a carrier transfer semiconductor containing Mg.sub.2Si.sub.1-xSn.sub.x, wherein 0.6≦x≦0.7, and a first n-type dopant.

A thermoelectric converter is provided where an n-type boron carbide element is paired with a p-type boron carbide element and placed between a eat sink and a high temperature are, such as the ocean in which a submarine operates, and the interior of that submarine, respectively. Boron carbide elements suitable for use in this invention are deposited from meta carborane (n-type) together with dopants to emphasize n-type character, such as chromocene, and orthocarborane, together with dopants to emphasize p-type character, such as 1,4 diaminobenzene to form the p-type element.

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 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.