A method of manufacturing a photothermal conversion element includes preparing a solid material and forming a processed region processed by irradiation of the solid material with a laser beam. The forming includes grain refining the solid material to blacken the processed region.

A thermoelectric cooler, a method for preparing a thermoelectric cooler, and an electronic device. The thermoelectric cooler includes two monocrystalline silicon substrates disposed opposite to each other and a plurality of semiconductor thermoelectric particles located between the two monocrystalline silicon substrates. An insulation layer is provided on a side that is of a monocrystalline silicon substrate and that faces the semiconductor thermoelectric particles. A conductive sheet is provided between the insulation layer and the semiconductor thermoelectric particles, and the conductive sheet is electrically connected to the semiconductor thermoelectric particles, so that the semiconductor thermoelectric particles form a serial connection circuit.

A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element includes forming a thermoelectric film containing a thermoelectric material on a surface of a substrate, pressing the thermoelectric film with a mold to form a pattern of the thermoelectric film on the surface of the substrate, and heating the pattern of the thermoelectric film formed on the surface of the substrate to generate the thermoelectric conversion element.

Disclosed is an embodiment is a thermoelectric module comprising: a first thermally conductive plate; a thermoelectric element arranged on the first thermally conductive plate; a second thermally conductive plate arranged on the thermoelectric element; and a cover frame, which is arranged on the first thermally conductive plate, and has an accommodation space such that the thermoelectric element is accommodated in the accommodation space, wherein the thermoelectric element includes: a first substrate; a plurality of thermoelectric legs arranged on the first substrate; a second substrate arranged on the plurality of thermoelectric legs; and electrodes comprising a plurality of first electrodes arranged between the first substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs; and a plurality of second electrodes arranged between the second substrate and the plurality of thermoelectric legs, and the cover frame includes: an outer frame arranged to be spaced from the thermoelectric element on the first thermally conductive plate; and an upper frame extending toward the second thermally conductive plate so as to be inclined from the upper end of the outer frame toward the downward direction thereof.

To increase thermoelectromotive voltage of a thermoelectric conversion element with a magnetization direction, a temperature gradient direction, and an electromotive force direction orthogonal to each other. A thermoelectric conversion element 1 is formed by annularly winding a thermoelectric material which is radially magnetized and circumferentially generates an electromotive force in accordance with a temperature gradient in the axial direction thereof. Thus, the thermoelectric material is wound not linearly but annularly, so that a connection line for connecting a plurality of thermoelectric materials is not necessary. In particular, when the thermoelectric material is wound in a plurality of turns, the length per unit area of the thermoelectric material in the direction of the electromotive force can be significantly increased, making it possible to significantly increase thermoelectromotive voltage while suppressing increase in the size of the element.

An apparatus is provided for generating an electrical current from a temperature differential in an ablutionary fitting. A heat transfer plate includes a projection directly contacting water carried in a first region of the fitting. A thermoelectric module includes one or more thermoelectric elements thermally coupled between the heat transfer plate and a housing of the ablutionary fitting in a second region of the ablutionary fitting. The thermoelectric elements generate electricity from a temperature differential between water carried in the first and second regions of the ablutionary fitting.

A thermoelectric device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first insulating layer, a first substrate disposed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer disposed on the first substrate, a first electrode disposed on the second insulating layer, a P-type thermoelectric leg and an N-type thermoelectric leg disposed on the first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the P-type thermoelectric leg and the 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 includes a first aluminum oxide layer, the first substrate is an aluminum substrate, the second substrate is a copper substrate, the first substrate is a low temperature portion, and the second substrate is a high temperature portion.

Provided is a thermoelectric module. The thermoelectric module includes a thermoelectric element including a first substrate, a first electrode disposed on the first substrate, a semiconductor structure disposed on the first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the semiconductor structure, and a second substrate disposed on the second electrode, a heat sink disposed on the second substrate, and an adhesive layer configured to bond the second substrate to the heat sink. The heat sink has a shape in which predetermined patterns are regularly repeated and connected. Each pattern includes a first surface disposed opposite to the second substrate, a in second surface which extends upward from one end of the first surface, a third surface which extends from the second surface to face the second substrate, and a fourth surface which extends upward from the other end opposite to the one end of the first surface and is connected to a third surface of an adjacent pattern. A distance between the third surface and the second substrate is greater than a distance between the first surface and the second substrate, and the adhesive layer is disposed between the second substrate and the first surface.

A thermoelectric generator 1 includes a thermoelectric generation module 7, a power storage unit 21 configured to store electric charge generated from the thermoelectric generation module 7, a switching unit 23 configured to switch between supply and stop of discharge to a transceiver (transmission/reception unit) 20 driven by discharge from the power storage unit 21, and a determination unit 15 configured to determine stop of discharge from the power storage unit 21, in which the determination unit 15 determines stop of discharge before completion of discharge from the power storage unit 21.

To obtain a high thermoelectromotive voltage with a simple structure in a thermoelectric conversion element with a magnetization direction, a temperature gradient direction, and an electromotive force direction mutually orthogonal. A thermoelectric conversion element 1 includes a tape-like member 10 including an insulating film and a thermoelectric material layer formed on the surface of the insulating film and having a magnetization direction, a temperature gradient direction, and an electromotive force direction which are mutually orthogonal and a pair of terminal electrodes E1 and E2 connected to the thermoelectric material layer at positions different in the longitudinal direction thereof. The tape-like member 10 is wound with the longitudinal direction thereof directed to the circumferential direction, and the thermoelectric material layer is radially magnetized. Thus, the radially magnetized tape-like thermoelectric material layer is circumferentially wound, so that a thermoelectromotive voltage can be generated in accordance with a temperature gradient in the axial direction. In addition, the electromotive force occurs circumferentially, making the structure of the tape-like member simple.