Thermoelectric conversion component

• US 6,084,172 A
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kishi, Matsuo, Yoshida, Yoshifumi, Yamamoto, Minao
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons, Thomas H
• Application Number:
  US09/047,860
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 136/203, 136/205, 136/242, 62/3.2, 62/3.3, 62/3.4, 62/3.5, 62/3.6, 62/3.7, 374/179, 374/182, 374/204
• US Class Current: 136/200
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

A π-type thermoelectric conversion component detects and controls temperature and at the same time exhibits a cooling performance inherently possessed by the thermoelectric conversion component without the need for mounting a discrete temperature detecting unit. To achieve this, a temperature detecting unit, such as a thin film thermistor or doped semiconductor region, is directly integrated on a surface of a substrate forming the thermoelectric component. In one embodiment, a monocrystalline silicon wafer is used as at least one of the opposing substrates of the thermoelectric conversion component, a temperature detecting unit having a diffused resistor is formed therein. An electrode of the temperature detecting unit is connected to an electrode formed on the opposing substrate to reduce the thermal load. There is thus no need for mounting a discrete temperature detecting unit, which places a thermal load on the thermoelectric conversion component, and it is thus possible to perform temperature detection from the same substrate to which a power supply of the thermoelectric conversion component is applied. It is also possible to obtain a cooling performance inherently possessed by the thermoelectric conversion component without the need to increase the performance criteria of the device to incorporate a temperature detecting unit.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric conversion component comprising:

a p-type thermoelectric material element and an n-type thermoelectric material element;

a pair of substrates disposed in an opposing relation with respect to each other so as to sandwich therebetween the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element;

electrodes provided on respective inner surfaces of the substrates so that the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element form a pn junction; and

a temperature detecting component having a film integrally formed on an inner surface of at least one of the substrates.

2. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 1;

further comprising an input/output electrode formed on the temperature detecting component, a second electrode for withdrawing an output of the temperature detecting component outside the thermoelectric conversion component, the second electrode being formed on the substrate opposite the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed, and a connecting element formed of an electrically conductive material for connecting the input/output electrode and the second electrode.

3. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 2;

wherein the same electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is used to form the thermoelectric material elements.

4. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 3;

wherein the electrically conductive material forming the connecting element is electrically insulated from other elements formed of a thermoelectric material in the thermoelectric conversion component.

5. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 3;

wherein the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is the same type in semiconductor characteristic as a thermoelectric material used for said thermoelectric material elements.

6. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 3;

wherein a shape of the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is the same as that of the thermoelectric material elements.

7. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 1;

wherein the temperature detecting component is a thermistor.

8. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 1;

wherein the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed comprises a silicon substrate having a surface on which is formed an insulating layer, and wherein the temperature detecting component comprises a doped region of the silicon substrate which detects temperature based on silicon semiconductor characteristics.

9. A thermoelectric conversion component comprising:

a plurality of p-type thermoelectric material elements and n-type thermoelectric material elements;

a pair of substrates disposed in an opposing relation with respect each other so as to sandwich therebetween the p-type thermoelectric material elements and the n-type thermoelectric material elements;

electrodes provided on respective inner surfaces of the substrates so that pairs of the p-type thermoelectric material elements and the n-type thermoelectric material elements form a pn junction;

a temperature detecting component integrally formed on an inner surface of at least one of the substrates;

an input/output electrode formed on the temperature detecting component;

a second electrode for withdrawing an output of the temperature detecting component outside the thermoelectric conversion component, the second electrode being formed on the substrate opposite the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed; and

a connecting element formed of an electrically conductive material for connecting the input/output electrode and the second electrode.

10. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 9;

wherein the same electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is used to form the thermoelectric material elements.

11. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 10;

wherein the electrically conductive material forming the connecting element is electrically insulated from other elements formed of a thermoelectric material in the thermoelectric conversion component.

12. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 11;

wherein the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is a semiconductor material having the same characteristics as a semiconductor material used to form the thermoelectric material elements.

13. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 11;

wherein a shape of the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is the same as that of the thermoelectric material elements.

14. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 9;

wherein the temperature detecting component is a thermistor.

15. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 9;

wherein the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed comprises a silicon substrate having a surface on which there is formed an insulating layer, and wherein the temperature detecting component comprises a doped region of the silicon substrate which detects temperature based on silicon semiconductor characteristics.

16. A thermoelectric conversion component comprising:

a p-type thermoelectric material element and an n-type thermoelectric material element;

a pair of substrates disposed in an opposing relation with respect each other so as to sandwich therebetween the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element;

electrodes provided on respective inner surfaces of the substrates so that the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element form a pn junction; and

a temperature detecting component having a thin film thermistor directly formed on an inner surface of at least one of the substrates.

17. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 16;

further comprising an input/output electrode formed on the temperature detecting component, a second electrode for withdrawing an output of the temperature detecting component outside the thermoelectric conversion component, the second electrode being formed on the substrate opposite the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed, and a connecting element formed of an electrically conductive material for connecting the input/output electrode and the second electrode.

18. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 17;

wherein the same electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is used to form the thermoelectric material elements.

19. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 18;

wherein the electrically conductive material forming the connecting element is electrically insulated from other elements formed of a thermoelectric material in the thermoelectric conversion component.

20. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 19;

wherein the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is a semiconductor material having the same characteristics as a semiconductor material used to form the thermoelectric material elements.

21. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 19;

wherein a shape of the electrically conductive material used to form the connecting element is the same as that of the thermoelectric material elements.

22. A thermoelectric conversion component according to claim 16;

wherein the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed comprises a silicon substrate having a surface on which there is formed an insulating layer and wherein the temperature detecting component comprises a doped region of the silicon substrate which detects temperature based on silicon semiconductor characteristics.

23. A thermoelectric conversion component comprising:

a p-type thermoelectric material element and an n-type thermoelectric material element;

a pair of substrates disposed in an opposing relation with respect to each other so as to sandwich therebetween the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element;

electrodes provided on respective inner surfaces of the substrates so that the p-type thermoelectric material element and the n-type thermoelectric material element form a pn junction; and

a temperature detecting component integrally formed on an inner surface of at least one of the substrates;

wherein the substrate on which the temperature detecting component is formed comprises a silicon substrate surface on which there is formed an insulating layer, and wherein the temperature detecting component comprises a doped region of the silicon substrate which detects temperature based on silicon semiconductor characteristics.