Thermoelectric conversion element and method of manufacturing the same, and thermoelectric conversion device using the element

• US 7,317,159 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yotsuhashi, Satoshi, Kanno, Tsutomu, Adachi, Hideaki, Sugita, Yasunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): FICK, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US11/194,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 136/203, 136/205, 136/211
• US Class Current: 136/211
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion element that has high efficiency even at reduced thickness. In this thermoelectric conversion element, striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts are arranged on one surface of an insulating layer, and striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts are arranged on the other surface. The two sets of stripes form overlapped portions. At one or more of the overlapped portions, a first p-type thermoelectric conversion part and a first n-type thermoelectric conversion part are electrically connected via a first conducting portion arranged within the insulating layer, a second p-type thermoelectric conversion part and a second n-type thermoelectric conversion part are electrically connected via a second conducting portion arranged within the insulating layer, and the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion are electrically isolated. The element of the present invention provides two junctions in a region where a conventional element would provide only one junction.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric conversion element comprising:

an insulating layer, striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts arranged on a first surface of the insulating layer, and striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts arranged on a second surface of the insulating layer wherein said second surface is opposite said first surface; and

the thermoelectric conversion element having overlapping portions at which the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts intersect when viewed along a thickness direction of the insulating layer;

wherein, at one or more of the overlapping portions,

a) a first p-type thermoelectric conversion part of the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and a first n-type thermoelectric conversion part of the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts are electrically connected via a first conducting portion arranged within the insulating layer;

b) a second p-type thermoelectric conversion part of the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and a second n-type thermoelectric conversion part of the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts are electrically connected via a second conducting portion arranged within the insulating layer;

c) the first p-type thermoelectric conversion part and the second p-type thermoelectric conversion part are adjacent to each other with the overlapping portion interposed therebetween and are cut apart from each other in the overlapping portion;

d) the first n-type thermoelectric conversion part and the second n-type thermoelectric conversion part are adjacent to each other with the overlapping portion interposed therebetween and are cut apart from each other in the overlapping portion; and

e) the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion are electrically isolated.

2. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the same conditions as a) through e) are satisfied at two or more of the overlapping portions.

3. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein:

the first conducting portion is an electrode, or a contact between the first p-type thermoelectric conversion part and the first n-type thermoelectric conversion part within the insulating layer; and

the second conducting portion is an electrode, or a contact between the second p-type thermoelectric conversion part and the second n-type thermoelectric conversion part within the insulating layer.

4. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 3, wherein the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion are electrodes.

5. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts form rectilinear stripes.

6. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein at least one selected from the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts forms curved stripes.

7. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 2, wherein the two or more overlapping portions include heat-generating overlapping portions and heat-absorbing overlapping portions when a dc current is passed through the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts, and the heat-generating overlapping portions and the heat-absorbing overlapping portions are arranged in respective straight lines.

8. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 2, wherein the two or more overlapping portions include heat-generating overlapping portions and heat-absorbing overlapping portions when a dc current is passed through the striped p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and the striped n-type thermoelectric conversion parts, and the heat-generating overlapping portions and the heat-absorbing overlapping portions are arranged so that the distance between the heat-generating overlapping portions and the distance between the heat-absorbing overlapping portions are set to be less than the distance between the heat-generating overlapping portions and the heat-absorbing overlapping portions.

9. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer has flexibility.

10. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is made of resin.

11. A thermoelectric conversion device comprising a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 and a heat conducting member being in contact with a portion of the overlapping portions in the first surface or in the second surface.

12. The thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 11, wherein the heat conducting member comprises a first heat conducting member being in contact with the first surface and a second heat conducting member being in contact with the second surface.

13. A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element, comprising:

producing a layered material in which p-type stripes composed of a p-type thermoelectric conversion material, an insulating layer, and n-type stripes composed of an n-type thermoelectric conversion material are arranged in that order when viewed along a thickness direction of the insulating layer;

the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes intersect with each other to form overlapping portions; and

the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes are electrically connected at the overlapping portions via conducting portions provided within the insulating layer; and

forming p-type thermoelectric conversion parts and n-type thermoelectric conversion parts by cutting apart the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes;

wherein the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes are cut apart at one or more of the overlapped portions in such a manner that;

f) a first p-type thermoelectric conversion part and a second p-type thermoelectric conversion part that are cut apart from each other are formed from the p-type stripes;

g) a first n-type thermoelectric conversion parts and a second n-type thermoelectric conversion parts that are cut apart from each other are formed from the n-type stripes;

h) the first p-type thermoelectric conversion part and the first n-type thermoelectric conversion part are electrically connected via a first conducting portion that is arranged within the insulating layer as one of the conducting portions; and

i) the second p-type thermoelectric conversion part and the second n-type thermoelectric conversion part are electrically connected via a second conducting portion that is arranged within the insulating layer as one of the conducting portions and is electrically isolated from the first conducting portion.

14. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the conducting portions as well as the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes are cut apart so that the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion are formed from the conducting portions.

15. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the first conducting portion and the second conducting portion are arranged within the insulating layer in advance.

16. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the conducting portions are electrodes, or contacts between the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes within the insulating layer.

17. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the conducting portions are electrodes.

18. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the step of producing a layered material comprises:

(a) producing a layered material in which the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film, the insulating layer, and the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film are arranged in that order with respect to the thickness direction, and the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film and the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film are electrically connected via conducting portions arranged within the insulating layer;

(b) dividing the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film so as to shape a striped pattern, to form p-type stripes; and

(c) dividing the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film so as to shape a striped pattern, to form n-type stripes.

19. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 18, wherein the step (a) comprises transferring the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film or the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film that has been grown on a substrate from the top of the substrate to the top of the insulating layer.

20. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 19, the step (a) further comprising:

forming an undercoating film that is an oxide layer containing an alkali element on the substrate, growing the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film or the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film on the undercoating film, and separating the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film or the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film from the substrate by supplying water vapor to the undercoating film.

21. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 19, wherein the substrate is a crystallized material of an inorganic substance.

22. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 19, wherein the insulating layer is made of resin.

23. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, further comprising a step of obtaining at least one selected from the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes, by transferring the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film or the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film that has been grown on a substrate from the top of the substrate to the top of the insulating layer and dividing the p-type thermoelectric conversion material film or the n-type thermoelectric conversion material film.

24. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes are formed into rectilinear stripes.

25. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein at least one selected from the p-type stripes and the n-type stripes is formed into curved stripes.

26. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the insulating layer has flexibility.

27. The method of manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 13, wherein the insulating layer is made of resin.