A compound containing Sn, Te and Mn, and further containing either one or both of Sb and Bi.

A semiconductor structure comprises one or more semiconductor devices, each of the semiconductor devices having two or more electrical connections; one or more first conductors connected to a first electrical connection on the semiconductor device, the first conductor comprising a first material having a positive Seebeck coefficient; and one or more second conductors connected to a second electrical connection on the semiconductor device, the second conductor comprising a second material having a negative Seebeck coefficient. The first conductor and the second conductor conduct electrical current through the semiconductor device and conduct heat away from the semiconductor device.

A method of forming a thermoelectric device structure and the resultant thermoelectric device structure. The method forms a first pattern of epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a first conductivity type on a first semiconductor substrate, forms a second pattern of epitaxial thermoelectric elements of a second conductivity type on a second semiconductor substrate, separates the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and places the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the first conductivity type and the epitaxial thermoelectric elements of the second conductivity type on a heat sink, and integrates the heat sink to a device substrate including an electronic device to be cooled.

Provided herein is a skutterudite-type material having high thermoelectric conversion characteristics in a high temperature region. A thermoelectric conversion material is provided that contains a skutterudite-type material represented by the following composition formula (I)

I.sub.xGa.sub.yM.sub.4Pn.sub.12   (I),

wherein x and y satisfy 0.04≦x≦0.11, 0.11≦y≦0.34, and x<y, I represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of In, Yb, Eu, Ce, La, Nd, Ba, and Sr, M represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Co, Rh, Ir, Fe, Ni, Pt, Pd, Ru, and Os, and Pn. represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Sb, As, P, Te, Sn, Bi, Ge, Se, and Si.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material having high thermoelectric conversion performance in a broad temperature range. The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material according to the present disclosure includes forming a mixture by weighing Cu and Se based on the following chemical formula 1 and mixing the Cu and the Se, and forming a compound by thermally treating the mixture: <Chemical Formula 1> Cu.sub.xSe where 2<x≦2.6.

Disclosed is a thermoelectric conversion material having excellent performance. The thermoelectric material according to the present disclosure includes a matrix including Cu and Se, and Cu-containing particles.

A method for producing an intermediate for thermoelectric conversion modules may avoid a supporting substrate, enabling annealing of a thermoelectric semiconductor material in a form avoiding a joint to an electrode, and enabling annealing of a thermoelectric semiconductor material at an optimum temperature. Such methods may produce an intermediate for thermoelectric conversion modules containing a P-type thermoelectric and an N-type thermoelectric element layer of a thermoelectric semiconductor composition, and include (A) forming the P-type thermoelectric element layer and the N-type thermoelectric element layer on a substrate; (B) annealing the P-type and N-type thermoelectric element layer formed in (A); (C) forming a sealant layer containing a curable resin or a cured product thereof, on the P-type and N-type thermoelectric element layer annealed in (B); and (D) peeling the P-type and the N-type thermoelectric element layer and also the sealant layer formed in (B) and (C) from the substrate.

The present invention provides thermoelectric conversion elements and thermoelectric conversion modules which are possible to effectively use oxide materials having high Seebeck coefficient, and excellently improve their outputs. The present invention provides thermoelectric conversion elements which comprise at least a charge transport layer, thermoelectric conversion material layers and electrodes, wherein the charge transport layer comprises a graphite treated to dope charge-donating materials so that the graphite has an n-type semiconductor property, or a graphite treated to dope charge-accepting materials so that the graphite has a p-type semiconductor property, and provides thermoelectric conversion modules using the thermoelectric conversion elements.

A thermoelectric conversion material contains a matrix composed of a semiconductor and nanoparticles disposed in the matrix, and the nanoparticles have a lattice constant distribution Δd/d of 0.0055 or more.

A thermoelectric module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first substrate; a thermoelectric element disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed on the thermoelectric element and having a smaller area than the first substrate; a sealing part disposed on the first substrate and surrounding a side surface of the thermoelectric element; and a wire part connected to the thermoelectric element, drawn out through the sealing part, and supplying power to the thermoelectric element, wherein the sealing part has a through hole through which the wire part passes, and the through hole is disposed closer to the second substrate than the first substrate.