Thermoelectric array,thermoelectric module, thermoelectric device, and methods of preperation thereof

Abstract

A thermoelectric array 815 comprising a thermally insulating carrier 800, wherein the thermally insulating carrier defines an arrangement of holes 801, one or more of the holes having a thermoelectric

Claims

1. A thermoelectric array comprising a thermally-insulating carrier, wherein the thermally-insulating carrier includes one or more holes, one or more of the holes having a thermoelectric element disposed at least partially therein.

2. The thermoelectric array of claim 1, wherein one or more of the holes extend through a thickness of the thermally-insulating carrier.

3. The thermoelectric array of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or more ends of one or more of the thermoelectric elements have a metallisation layer disposed thereon.

4. The thermoelectric array of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the thermally-insulating carrier comprises, or consists essentially of, a silicon-based material.

5. The thermoelectric array of any one of the preceding claims including one or more n-type thermoelectric elements and / or one or more p-type thermoelectric elements.

6. The thermoelectric array of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the thermoelectric elements is / are elongate in a direction parallel to a direction through a thickness of the thermally-insulating carrier.

7. The thermoelectric array of any one of the preceding claims including, wherein the thermally-insulating carrier includes a plurality of holes and the holes are arranged in a regular or irregular pattern.

8. The thermoelectric array of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally-insulating carrier includes at least 10 holes.

9. The thermoelectric array of any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more, e.g. all, of the holes have a maximum cross-sectional area of up to 0.1 mm2, up to 0.2 mm2, up to 0.3 mm2, up to 0.5 mm3, up to 1 mm2 or up to 2 mm2.

10. A thermoelectric module comprising:a thermoelectric array according to any one of the preceding claims;a first plate with one or more electric interconnects provided thereon; and a second plate with one or more electrical interconnects provided thereon;wherein the thermoelectric array is disposed between the first plate and the second plate and a first end of each thermoelectric element is electrically connected to one of the electrical interconnects provided on the first plate and a second end of each thermoelectric element is electrically connected to one of the electrical interconnects provided on the second plate.

11. The thermoelectric module of claim 10 including at least one series-connected string of alternating n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements.

12. The thermoelectric module of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein one or more of the first plate and / or the second plate comprise, or consist essentially of, a ceramic, silicon, gallium nitride or silicon carbide.

13. A thermoelectric device comprising one or more thermoelectric modules of any one of claims 10 to 12.

14. The thermoelectric device of claim 13, wherein one or more active devices is / are coupled to the thermoelectric device.

15. A method of manufacture of a thermoelectric array, the method comprising: providing a thermally-insulating carrier including one or more holes;depositing one or more thermoelectric precursor powders within one or more of the holes; andconsolidating the thermoelectric precursor powder(s) within the hole(s), thereby forming one or more thermoelectric elements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein consolidating the thermoelectric precursor powder(s) within the hole(s) comprises sintering.

17. The method of claim 15 or claim 16 including forming a metallisation layer on at least one end of at least one of the thermoelectric elements.

18. The method of claim 15, claim 16 or claim 17, wherein a wafer provides a plurality of thermally-insulating carriers for a plurality of thermoelectric arrays and the method includes cutting the wafer to provide the plurality of thermoelectric arrays.

19. A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric module comprising:providing a thermoelectric array of any one of claims 1 to 9 or a thermoelectric array manufactured according to any one of claims 15 to 18;providing a first plate with one or more electric interconnects provided thereon;providing a second plate with one or more electrical interconnects provided thereon;disposing the thermoelectric array between the first plate and the second plate; andelectrically connecting a first end of each thermoelectric element to one of the electrical interconnects provided on the first plate and a second end of each thermoelectric element to one of the electrical interconnects provided on the second plate.

20. A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device comprising:providing at least one thermoelectric module according to any one of claims 10 to 12 or a thermoelectric module manufactured according to claim 18; andconfiguring the thermoelectric module(s) for use in the thermoelectric device.

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