A thermoelectric element can comprise a thermoelectric body and a multi-layer contact structure. The multi-layer contact structure can contain a first metal layer overlying a surface of the thermoelectric body and a second metal layer directly overlying the first metal layer, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer include the same metal, and the first metal layer has a different phase than the second metal layer.

The present invention relates to a compound containing at least germanium, tellurium, bismuth, copper, antimony and silver as constituent elements.

A double layered, flexible thermoelectric generator with direct bonded, double layers of active materials that are directly bonded by heat curing, not soldered nor attached/bonded by an adhesive layer. The thermoelectric device is made from a first substrate and a second substrate, each including an n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs. The first and the second substrate are brought together so that the n-type and p-type thermoelectric legs of the first substrate come into direct contact with, respectively, the n-type and the p-type thermoelectric legs of the second substrate. Each thermoelectric leg may be disposed in a well formed in an insulating layer disposed over contact electrodes supported on the first and second substrate. Each thermoelectric leg may contain a particulate semiconductor and a binder, e.g. a polymer binder. The pairs of legs are bonded together by heat curing.

The present invention provides a novel compound semiconductor that has improved thermoelectric figure of merit as well as excellent electric conductivity, and thus, can be applied for various uses such as thermoelectric conversion material of a thermoelectric conversion device, a solar battery, and the like, and a method for preparing the same.

A fast-rate thermoelectric device control system includes a fast-rate thermoelectric device, a sensor, and a controller. The fast-rate thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric actuator array disposed on a wafer, and the thermoelectric actuator array includes a thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuator that generates a heating and/or a cooling effect in response to an electrical current. The sensor is configured to measure a temperature associated with the heating or cooling effect and output a feedback signal indicative of the measured temperature. The controller is in communication with the fast-rate thermoelectric device and the sensor, and is configured to control the electrical current based on the feedback signal.

A compound semiconductor which has an improved thermoelectric performance index together with excellent electrical conductivity, and thus may be utilized for various purposes such as a thermoelectric conversion material of thermoelectric conversion devices, solar cells, and the like, and to a method for preparing the same.

A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor; and an additive element that differs from an element constituting the base material. An additional band formed of the additive element is present within a forbidden band of the base material. A density of states of the additional band has a ratio of greater than or equal to 0.1 relative to a maximum value of a density of states of a valence band adjacent to the forbidden band of the base material.

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.

Provided are an electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules capable of preventing cracking and peeling of electrodes that may occur at the bonding parts of a thermoelectric element and an electrode under high-temperature conditions to thereby maintain a low resistance at the bonding parts, and a thermoelectric conversion module using the material. The electrode material for thermoelectric conversion modules includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a thermoelectric element formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an electrode formed on at least one substrate of the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the substrate is a plastic film, the thermoelectric element contains a bismuth-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, a telluride-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, an antimony-tellurium-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, or a bismuth-selenide-based thermoelectric semiconductor material, the electrode that is in contact with the thermoelectric element is formed of a metal material, and the metal material is gold, nickel, aluminum, rhodium, platinum, chromium, palladium, stainless steel, molybdenum or an alloy containing any of these metals.

A thermoelectric material including a thermoelectric element including thermoelectric inorganic material represented by Chemical Formula 1; and a conduction path in contact with a surface of the thermoelectric element, wherein the conduction path is formed of a conductive material having electrical conductivity of greater than or equal to about 1,000 Siemens per centimeter
Bi.sub.xSb.sub.(2-x)Te.sub.(3-y-z)Se.sub.yS.sub.z   Chemical Formula 1 wherein 0<x≤2, 0≤y≤3, 0≤z≤3, and 0≤y+z≤3.