Transparent thin film thermocouple

• US 4,969,956 A
• Filed: 12/19/1989
• Issued: 11/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of Commerce
• Original Assignee: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
• Inventors: Yust, Moshe, Kreider, Kenneth G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Peter A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARROLL, CHRISMAN DION
• Application Number:
  US07/452,439
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 136/200, 136/201, 136/205, 136/225, 136/232, 136/236.1, 136/239
• US Class Current: 136/201
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/01 Manufacture or treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/817 the junction being non-separable, e.g. being cemented, sintered or soldered
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/855 comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen

Abstract

A transparent thin film thermocouple and a method of manufacturing comprig a positive element of indium tin oxide (ITO) and a negative element of indium oxide (In₂ O₃) formed on a surface by reactive sputtering with the elements being electrically joined to form a hot junction for conversion of heat into electricity.

Claims

1. A method for producing a transparent thin film thermocouple on a surface comprising the steps of:

forming a thin film element of indium tin oxide (ITO) with an In;

Sn weight fraction ratio of 9;

1 on said surface by reactive sputtering; and

forming a thin film element of indium oxide (In₂ O₃) or ITO with a lower tin constant than the positive leg on said surface by reactive sputtering;

said elements being electrically joined to form a hot junction for conversion of heat into electricity.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which said reactive sputtering is accomplished with a magnetron source in an argon and oxygen atmosphere and a surface temperature between 550-600 K.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said atmosphere comprises 10 to 40 % of oxygen.

6. A thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said positive and negative elements are thin films formed by reactive sputtering.

4. A transparent thin film thermoelectric device for the conversion of heat into electricity comprising:

a surface;

a positive element comprising indium tin oxide (ITO) with an In;

Sn weight fraction ratio of 9;

1 formed on said surface;

a negative element comprising indium oxide (In₂ O₃) or ITO with a lower tin content than the positive leg formed on said surface; and

said positive and negative elements being electrically joined to form a hot junction.

5. A thermoelectric device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said positive element contains 10% tin.