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Stable thermoelectric devices

A thermoelectric device and electromigration technology, applied in the directions of thermoelectric device parts, thermoelectric device manufacturing/processing, thermoelectric device junction lead wire materials, etc., can solve problems such as not achieving optimal performance and lack of stability

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-07-17
AARHUS UNIV +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

[0010] However, even with the above approach and the excellent figure of merit obtained, the Zn4Sb3 material still suffers from a lack of stability, which results in the suboptimal performance of

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0105] Figure 1A An exploded view of a thermoelectric device 100A according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The thermoelectric device 100A comprises a layered structure comprising a first electrical connector 102, a second electrical connector disc 104, a first layer 106 in the form of Zn4Sb3 pellets, and a second layer 108 comprising zinc (Zn). In the illustrated embodiment, the second layer 108 embodies a Zn-containing foil.

[0106] Figure 1B shows an exploded view of another thermoelectric device 100B, which is similar to Figure 1A The thermoelectric device shown, except that the third layer 110 is embodied as a further foil comprising zinc (Zn), is placed between the second electrical connector 104 and the first layer 106 embodied as Zn4Sb3 pellets.

[0107] Figures 2-3 illustrate schematic diagrams, here illustrating speculations related to the underlying principles.

[0108] Figure 2A A schematic diagram is shown representing the therm...

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermoelectric device 100A comprising a layered structure comprising a first layer 106, a first electrical connector 102, a second electrical connector 104, and a second layer 108 being different from the first layer 106, where the first layer comprises a material having the stoichiometric formula Zn4Sb3 (zinc antimonide)and the second layer 108 comprises Zn (zinc). The first layer 106 is being placed between the first and second electrical connector 102, 104, and the second layer 108 is placed between the first layer 106 and the first electrical connector 102. By having a second layer 108 comprising Zn the negative effects of electromigration of Zn may be overcome, since Zn may emanate from the foil and refill Zn depleted regions in the first layer. In a particular embodiment the second layer is a foil. In another particular embodiment, the first layer is doped with an element such as magnesium.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to thermoelectric devices, in particular, the present invention relates to stable thermoelectric devices, uses of stable thermoelectric devices and methods of manufacturing stable thermoelectric devices. Background of the invention [0002] Zn4Sb3 has been reported many years ago as a very promising p-type material for thermoelectric applications in the technologically important mid-temperature range (200-400°C). [0003] Several attempts have been successfully made to obtain a Zn4Sb3 material that is itself temperature stable up to 400 °C by using means aimed at preventing Zn4Sb3 degradation. The degradation of Zn4Sb3 can be divided into several processes: [0004] 1) Zn4Sb3->3ZnSb+Zn [0005] 2) Zn4Sb3->4Zn+3Sb [0006] Then [0007] 3) 4Zn+2O2->4ZnO [0008] The extent of the above process can be significantly reduced by avoiding Zn loss due to oxidation by adding Zn, zone refining and sealing of environme...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): H01L35/18H01L35/06H10N10/853H10N10/01H10N10/813H10N10/85
CPCH01L35/18H01L35/34H01L35/06Y10T29/49002H10N10/813H10N10/853H10N10/85H10N10/01
Inventor 迪特尔·普拉策克布·布鲁默斯泰特·伊韦尔森莫恩斯·克里斯滕森
Owner AARHUS UNIV