Thermoelectric module and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

To provide a thermoelectric module for which it is not necessary to transfer diced thermoelectric elements one by one and which is capable of efficiently propagating heat to the thermoelectric elements, and a manufacturing method thereof.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module comprising: a first multilayer substrate and a second multilayer substrate each including electrode patterns on both surfaces; an n-type element group consisting of n-type thermoelectric elements disposed in adjacent two rows; and a p-type element group which is in parallel with the n-type element group and consists of p-type thermoelectric elements disposed in adjacent two rows. The n-type element group and the p-type element group are disposed between the first front-side electrode pattern of the first multilayer substrate and the second front-side electrode pattern of the second multilayer substrate. The electrode patterns on both the surfaces of the first multilayer substrate and the second multilayer substrate are formed in such a manner that adjacent Π-type structure elements formed from adjacent n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are successively connected in series and separate Π-type structure elements formed from separate n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are successively connected in series.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a thermoelectric module and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to realize an energy-saving society that will help combat global warming, research and development into the effective use of waste heat at 200 to 400 degrees Celsius emitted from automobiles and factories is becoming more and more popular. Thermoelectric conversion is a technology that directly converts thermal energy into electrical energy using the Seebeck effect, or directly converts electrical energy into thermal energy using the Peltier effect. For example, when a temperature difference is applied to a thermoelectric element, a thermoelectromotive force can be generated due to the Seebeck effect, so thermoelectric conversion has attracted attention as a technology that makes it possible to generate electricity from waste heat.

[0003] Known thermoelectric elements that perform thermoelectric conversion include p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements with their upper and lower surfaces connected to electrode layers (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a thermoelectric module equipped with multiple thermoelectric elements, in which rectangular electrode layers of the same shape are regularly arranged on one side of a substrate, and p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are provided alternately.

[0004] Also disclosed is a thermoelectric conversion module in which a plurality of thermoelectric conversion units, each having a circuit unit in which p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately and electrically connected in series, are provided on the same substrate, and the circuit units of at least two thermoelectric conversion units are arranged so as to intersect (Patent Document 2). Patent Document 2 also discloses that electrodes are also provided inside the substrate, and that a multilayer substrate (printed substrate) made of insulating material may be used. Patent Document 2 also discloses a configuration in which p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements are provided alternately on the substrate.

[0005] It has been disclosed that by using a multilayer wiring board having electrodes inside, it is possible to accommodate complex circuit designs (Patent Document 3). In Patent Document 3, a multilayer wiring board having a multilayer wiring pattern including an internal wiring pattern is used to incorporate a parallel circuit and a series circuit into one thermoelectric module. Specifically, Patent Document 3 discloses that the board has a plurality of surface electrodes that are individually connected to the P-type thermoelectric conversion elements and the N-type thermoelectric conversion elements, and a multilayer internal wiring pattern for connecting a plurality of thermoelectric conversion units according to a predetermined circuit pattern. Patent Document 3 also discloses a configuration in which P-type thermoelectric conversion elements and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements are alternately provided on a substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-274577 [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-347604 A [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5125119 specification Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] To manufacture a thermoelectric module in which p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged alternately as in Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is necessary to mass-produce the diced p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements by arranging them one by one on a substrate using a transport robot or the like.

[0008] Therefore, in the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the process of arranging the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements is complicated, and investment in a transport robot is required, resulting in high manufacturing costs.

[0009] Furthermore, a multilayer board has insulating layers with high thermal resistance between wiring patterns on different layers, and methods using a multilayer board with an internal wiring pattern, such as those described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, require two or more insulating layers, which makes it difficult to efficiently transfer heat to the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a thermoelectric module and a manufacturing method thereof that has a simple process for arranging p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, does not require investment in a transport robot for transporting diced p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements one by one, and is capable of efficiently transferring heat to the thermoelectric elements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, a thermoelectric module according to the present invention includes a first multilayer substrate having a first front surface electrode pattern and a first back surface electrode pattern on each of its front and back surfaces, a second multilayer substrate having a second front surface electrode pattern and a second back surface electrode pattern on each of its front and back surfaces, an n-type element group consisting of a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, and a p-type element group arranged in parallel with the n-type element group and consisting of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, and the p-type element group are arranged between the first front surface electrode pattern of the first multilayer substrate and the second front surface electrode pattern of the second multilayer substrate, and the first front surface electrode pattern, the first back surface electrode pattern, the second front surface electrode pattern, and the second back surface electrode pattern are formed such that adjacent Π-type structural elements formed by adjacent n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence, and spaced Π-type structural elements formed by spaced n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence.

[0012] A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to the present invention includes a first dicing step of dicing an n-type thermoelectric material and a p-type thermoelectric material to sizes corresponding to an n-type element group and a p-type element group to form an n-type thermoelectric material block and a p-type thermoelectric material block, a first joining step of arranging the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block on a first multilayer substrate having a first front surface electrode pattern and a first back surface electrode pattern on a front surface and a back surface, respectively, and joining the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block to the first front surface electrode pattern, and a second joining step of dicing the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block to form adjacent two rows. a second dicing process for forming an n-type element group consisting of a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, and a p-type element group consisting of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows; and a second bonding process for placing a second multilayer substrate having a second front surface electrode pattern and a second back surface electrode pattern on each of its front and back surfaces, between the first front surface electrode pattern and the second front surface electrode pattern, so as to sandwich the n-type element group and the p-type element group, and bonding the n-type thermoelectric elements and the p-type thermoelectric elements of the n-type element group and the p-type element group to the second front surface electrode pattern. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thermoelectric module and a manufacturing method thereof, which has a simple process for arranging p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, does not require investment in a transport robot for transporting diced p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements one by one, and can efficiently transfer heat to the thermoelectric elements. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2A] 2 is a plan view showing a first front surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 1. [Figure 2B] 2 is a plan view showing a first back surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 1. [Figure 3A] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a second front surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate of the thermoelectric module of FIG. [Figure 3B] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a second back surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate of the thermoelectric module of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of adjacent π-type structural elements. [Diagram 5] 1A to 1C are diagrams for explaining the structure and connection method of a spaced Π-type structural element. [Figure 6A] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first front surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate of a thermoelectric module according to a modified example of FIG. [Figure 6B] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first back surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate of a thermoelectric module according to a modified example of FIG. [Figure 7A] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a second front surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate of a thermoelectric module according to a modified example of FIG. [Figure 7B] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a second back surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate of a thermoelectric module according to a modified example of FIG. [Figure 8] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements in a thermoelectric module according to a modified example of FIG. [Figure 9A] 9 is a plan view showing a first front surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 9B] 9 is a plan view showing a first back surface electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 8. [Figure 10A] 9 is a plan view showing a second front surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10B] 9 is a plan view showing a second back surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate included in the thermoelectric module of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a first dicing step. [Figure 12]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a first bonding step. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state of a second dicing step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The drawings used in the following description may show characteristic parts in an enlarged scale for the sake of convenience in order to make the features of the present invention easier to understand, and the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from the actual ones. The materials, dimensions, etc. exemplified in the following description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the effects of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermoelectric module 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The thermoelectric module 100 includes a first multilayer substrate 30 having a first front surface electrode pattern 50A and a first back surface electrode pattern 50B on a front surface 30a and a back surface 30b, respectively; a second multilayer substrate 40 having a second front surface electrode pattern 60A and a second back surface electrode pattern 60B on a front surface 40a and a back surface 40b, respectively; an n-type element group 20 consisting of a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows (20a, 20b); a p-type element group 10 arranged in parallel with the n-type element group 20 and consisting of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows (10a, 10b); The n-type element group 20 and the p-type element group 10 are arranged between the first front surface electrode pattern 50A of the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A of the second multilayer substrate 40, and the first front surface electrode pattern 50A, the first back surface electrode pattern 50B, the second front surface electrode pattern 60A, and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B are formed such that adjacent Π-type structural elements formed of adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence, and spaced Π-type structural elements formed of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence.

[0017] In the thermoelectric module 100, the p-type element group 10 is arranged, for example, to overlap with a first portion 51 of the first front surface electrode pattern 50A. The n-type element group 20 is arranged, for example, to overlap with a second portion 52 of the second front surface electrode pattern 50A, which is a portion parallel to the first portion 51. Thus, in the thermoelectric module 100, the p-type element group 10 and the n-type element group 20 are adjacent to each other and arranged in parallel.

[0018] Of the p-type thermoelectric elements included in the p-type element group 10 arranged in two adjacent rows, the p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in the row (outer row) separated from the n-type element group 20 are collectively referred to as the outer p-type element row 10a, and the p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in the row (inner row) adjacent to the n-type element group 20 are collectively referred to as the inner p-type element row 10b.

[0019] Of the n-type thermoelectric elements included in the n-type element group 20 arranged in two adjacent rows, the n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in the row (outer row) separated from the p-type element group 10 are collectively referred to as the outer n-type element row 20a, and the n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in the row (inner row) adjacent to the p-type element group 10 are collectively referred to as the inner n-type element row 20b.

[0020] As will be described in detail later, the p-type thermoelectric elements included in the inner p-type element array 10b and the n-type thermoelectric elements included in the inner n-type element array 20b form adjacent Π-type structural elements together with the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A. The p-type thermoelectric elements included in the outer p-type element array 10a and the n-type thermoelectric elements included in the outer n-type element array 20a form spaced Π-type structural elements together with the first front surface electrode pattern 50A, the first back surface electrode pattern 50B, the second front surface electrode pattern 60A and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B.

[0021] In the thermoelectric module 100, the first front electrode pattern 50A, the first back electrode pattern 50B, the p-type element group 10, the n-type element group 20, the second front electrode pattern 60A, and the second back electrode pattern 60B are electrically connected in series. The first front electrode pattern 50A, the first back electrode pattern 50B, the second front electrode pattern 60A, and the second back electrode pattern 60B are preferably formed so that an adjacent Π-type structural element group in which adjacent Π-type structural elements are connected in series in sequence and a spaced Π-type structural element group in which spaced Π-type structural elements are connected in series in sequence are connected in series. In the thermoelectric module 100, for example, when the first back electrode pattern 50B is heated to a high temperature and the second back electrode pattern 60B is cooled, the start portion St of the first front electrode pattern 50A becomes a high potential and the end portion En becomes a low potential due to the Seebeck effect. Conversely, when the first back surface electrode pattern 50B of the thermoelectric module 100 is set to a low temperature and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B is set to a high temperature, the start portion St of the first front surface electrode pattern 50A has a low potential and the end portion En has a high potential.

[0022] 2A and 2B are plan views of the first multilayer substrate 30 included in the thermoelectric module 100 of Fig. 1, with Fig. 2A showing the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and Fig. 2B showing the first back surface electrode pattern 50B. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the second multilayer substrate 40 included in the thermoelectric module 100 of Fig. 1, with Fig. 3A showing the second front surface electrode pattern 60A and Fig. 3B showing the second back surface electrode pattern 60B. In the thermoelectric module 100, the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A are arranged to face each other, and the second back surface electrode pattern 60 and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B are arranged to face outward in the stacking direction.

[0023] The first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 are each a multilayer substrate in which the electrode pattern on the front surface and the electrode pattern on the back surface are connected at least in a portion. In the plan views shown in Figures 2A to 3B, the portion indicated by the dashed-dotted circle is, for example, a portion in which a through-hole H is provided, and in this portion, the front surface electrode pattern and the back surface electrode pattern are connected in the stacking direction. That is, the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 have openings at positions overlapping with the through-hole H in plan view from the stacking direction, and a conductive material that connects the front surface electrode pattern and the back surface electrode pattern is provided in this portion.

[0024] 2 and 3, the reference symbols having larger numbers are used as the order from the side closer to the start part St in the electric circuit. That is, in the thermoelectric module 100, the electrodes E1, E2, E3, . . . E33 are closer to the start part St in the electric circuit in this order. Also, the parts P11, P12, P13, . . . P87 are closer to the start part St in the electric circuit in this order. The parts P11, P12, P13, and the part P14 are parts of the Π-type thermoelectric element closest to the start part St in the electric circuit. Also, the parts P21, P22, P23, and the part P24 are parts of the Π-type thermoelectric element second closest to the start part St in the electric circuit.

[0025] The first front surface electrode pattern 50A has, for example, a plurality of adjacent stepped electrodes (E3, E5, E7) in which adjacent thermoelectric elements of different polarities of adjacent Π-type structural elements are connected in series, and a plurality of single electrodes (E11, E15, E17, E21, E23, E27, E29) to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute the spaced Π-type structural elements are individually connected. The first back surface electrode pattern 50B has, for example, a plurality of spaced stepped electrodes (E16, E22, E28) in which adjacent spaced Π-shaped structural elements having thermoelectric elements with different polarities are connected in series. The second front surface electrode pattern 60A has, for example, a plurality of horizontally elongated electrodes (E2, E4, E6, E8) to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute adjacent Π-type structural elements are connected in series, and a plurality of single electrodes (E12, E14, E18, E20, E24, E26, E30, E32) to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute spaced Π-type structural elements are individually connected. The second back surface electrode pattern 60B has a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes (E13, E19, E25, E31) in which n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute the spaced Π structure element are connected in series.

[0026] The first front surface electrode pattern 50A of the thermoelectric module 100 further includes, for example, a vertically elongated electrode E1 that overlaps with a single n-type thermoelectric element included in the inner n-type element array 20b and includes a start portion St, a single electrode E9 that overlaps with a single p-type thermoelectric element included in the inner p-type element array 10b, and a vertically elongated electrode E33 that overlaps with a single p-type thermoelectric element included in the outer p-type element array 10a and includes an end portion En. The single electrodes E11, E17, E23, and E29 each overlap with a single n-type thermoelectric element included in the outer n-type element array 20a, and the single electrodes E15, E21, and E27 each overlap with a single p-type thermoelectric element included in the outer p-type element array 10a. The first front surface electrode pattern 50A is divided into an outer p-type column 51a overlapping with the outer p-type element column 10a, an inner p-type column 51b overlapping with the inner p-type element column 10b, an inner n-type column 52b overlapping with the inner n-type element column 20b, and an outer n-type column 52a overlapping with the outer n-type element column 20a.

[0027] The adjacent stepped electrodes E3, E5, and E7 each have, for example, a connection portion 57. The connection portion 57 connects thermoelectric elements having opposite polarities in series. That is, the connection portion 57 connects p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements in series. Specifically, the adjacent stepped electrodes E3, E5, and E7 have inner p-type element rows 10b in the portions overlapping with the portions P14, P24, and P34, and inner n-type element rows 20b in the portions overlapping with the portions P21, P31, and P41, and the respective p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements are electrically connected in series on the first front electrode pattern 50A by the connection portion 57.

[0028] In the first multilayer substrate 30, in the portions overlapping with the individual electrodes E9, E11, E15, E17, E21, E23, E27, and E29, for example, a through hole H is provided, and in these portions, the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the first back surface electrode pattern 50B are connected by a conductive material provided in the portion of the through hole H.

[0029] The second front electrode pattern 60A is composed of, for example, a horizontally elongated electrode row 55 composed of a plurality of horizontally elongated electrodes (E2, E4, E6, E8) and a plurality of independent electrodes (E12, E14, E18, E20, E24, E26, E30, E32). The plurality of independent electrodes are divided into an outer p-type row 53a overlapping with the outer p-type row 51a and an outer n-type row 54a overlapping with the outer n-type row 52a. Each of the independent electrodes E14, E20, E26, E32 is provided so as to overlap with each of the p-type thermoelectric elements of the outer p-type element row 10a. Each of the horizontally elongated electrodes E2, E4, E6, E8 is provided so as to overlap with each of the p-type thermoelectric elements of the inner p-type element row 10b and the n-type thermoelectric elements of the inner n-type element row 20b. Each of the single electrodes E12, E18, E24, and E30 is provided so as to overlap with a corresponding n-type thermoelectric element in the outer n-type element row 20a. In the second multilayer substrate 40, a through hole H, for example, is provided in a portion overlapping with the single electrodes E12, E14, E18, E20, E24, E26, E30, and E32, and in that portion, the second front surface electrode pattern 60A and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B are connected by a conductive material provided in the portion of the through hole H.

[0030] The first back electrode pattern 50B includes, for example, a connection electrode E10, a plurality of spaced stepped electrodes E16, E22, and E28, and a heat conductive portion 91. The connection electrode E10 and the spaced stepped electrodes E16, E22, and E28 provided on the first back electrode pattern 50B connect different electrodes in the first front electrode pattern 50A. For example, the connection electrode E10 connects the single electrode E9 of the first front electrode pattern 50A to the single electrode E11, and connects adjacent Π-type structural elements and spaced Π-type structural elements. The spaced stepped electrode E16 connects the single electrode E15 to the single electrode E17. In this way, the connection electrode E10 and the spaced stepped electrodes E16, E22, and E28 provided on the first back electrode pattern 50B connect thermoelectric elements having different polarities of adjacent Π-type structural elements in series.

[0031] The second back surface electrode pattern 60B preferably has, for example, a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes E13, E19, E25, and E31, and further has a heat conductive portion 92. The second multilayer substrate 40 has, for example, two through holes H formed at positions where the plurality of strip-shaped electrodes E13, E19, E25, and E31 are provided, and in these portions, the second front surface electrode pattern 60A and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B are connected by a conductive material provided in the portion of the through holes H.

[0032] The vertically long electrode E1, the horizontally long electrode E2, and the electrode on which the portion P14 of the adjacent stepped electrode E3 is located and which is located in the inner p-type column 51b are part of the first adjacent Π-type structure element from the start portion St. The second adjacent Π-type structure element from the start portion St includes the electrode on which the portion P21 of the adjacent stepped electrode E3 is located and which is located in the inner n-type column 52b, the horizontally long electrode E4, and the electrode on which the portion P24 of the adjacent stepped electrode E5 is located and which is located in the inner p-type column 51b. The first adjacent Π-type structure element from the start portion St and the second adjacent Π-type structure element are electrically connected by the connection portion 57 of the adjacent stepped electrode E3. In this way, the electrodes of the inner n-type row 52b of the first front-surface electrode pattern 50A, the electrodes of the inner p-type row 51b, and the horizontal electrodes of the horizontal electrode row 55 of the second front-surface electrode pattern 60A, which are arranged at the same position in the y direction, form part of the same adjacent Π-type structural element, and are connected to the next adjacent Π-type structural element by the connection portion 57, except for the adjacent Π-type structural element at the farthest end in the +y direction.

[0033] 4 is a cross-sectional view of adjacent Π-type structural elements. The adjacent Π-type structural elements are Π-type thermoelectric elements. The adjacent Π-type structural elements have, for example, an n-type element 20b, an electrode of the inner n-type row 52b, an electrode of the horizontal electrode row 55, an electrode of the inner p-type row 51b, and a connection portion 57. The connection portion 57 is a member for connecting the Π-type structural elements to each other, and is illustrated together for convenience of explanation.

[0034] The p-type thermoelectric elements of the p-type element array 10b and the n-type thermoelectric elements of the n-type element array 20b are p-type and n-type thermoelectric materials, respectively, and are formed of any one selected from, for example, Mg2SiSn thermoelectric material, tellurium compounds, skutterudite compounds, filled skutterudite compounds, Heusler alloys, half-Heusler compounds, clathrate compounds, silicide compounds, silicon germanium, etc. The first front surface electrode pattern 50A, the second front surface electrode pattern 60A, the first back surface electrode pattern 50B, and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B, including the electrodes of the inner p-type array 51b, the electrodes of the inner n-type array 52b, and the electrodes of the horizontal electrode array 55, are formed of, for example, any one selected from copper, nickel, silver, gold, and aluminum. The p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type element group are joined to the electrodes by, for example, soldering, brazing, or joining via paste.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the structure and connection method of the spaced Π-type structural element. Fig. 5 shows four spaced Π-type structural elements formed when the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are used together with the p-type element group 10 and the n-type element group 20.

[0036] In the spaced Π-type structural element, the p-type thermoelectric elements of the outer p-type element row 10a are sandwiched between the outer p-type row 51a of the first front surface electrode pattern 50 and the outer p-type row 53a of the second front surface electrode pattern 60, and are connected to the n-type thermoelectric elements of the outer n-type element row 20a sandwiched between the outer n-type row 52a of the first front surface electrode pattern 50 and the outer n-type row 54a of the second front surface electrode pattern 60 via the strip-shaped electrodes of the second back surface electrode pattern 60B of the second multilayer substrate 40. In the spaced Π-type structural element, the n-type thermoelectric elements 20 are sandwiched between the second front surface electrode pattern 60A of the second multilayer substrate 40 and the first front surface electrode pattern 50A of the first multilayer substrate 30. Adjacent spaced Π-type structural elements are connected to each other, for example, via the first back surface electrode pattern 50B of the first multilayer substrate 30.

[0037] The first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 are made of, for example, Si, SiC, Al2O3, ceramic materials, nitride semiconductors such as SiN, GaN, and AlN, and glass epoxy resin. In the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40, a metal, an alloy, or a conductive paste selected from the group consisting of Cu, Al, Cr, Zn, Au, Rh, Pt, Pd, Ag, Sn, Ni, and C is provided in the portion where the through hole H is provided, and the front surface electrode pattern and the back surface electrode pattern are connected. The electrode pattern is made of, for example, Cu, Ni, Ag, Au, and Al. When the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 are made of a semiconductor material, an insulating layer made of SiO2 or the like is provided on the surface of the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 and the inner surface of the through hole H, and the conductive material provided in the portion of the electrode pattern and the through hole H is formed on the surface of the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 and the through hole H via the insulating layer. In this way, the front surface electrode pattern and the back surface electrode pattern of the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40 are insulated from each other in areas other than where the through holes H are provided.

[0038] The thermoelectric module 100 according to this embodiment includes a first multilayer substrate 30 and a second multilayer substrate 40 each having an electrode pattern on both sides, and can transmit heat efficiently because heat can be propagated from the first back electrode pattern 50B and the second back electrode pattern 60B. In the thermoelectric module 100 according to the above embodiment, the first back electrode pattern 50B and the second back electrode pattern 60B are provided with heat conductive parts 91, 92 even in parts not included in the electric circuit of the thermoelectric module, and the heat conductive parts 91, 92 are made of a material having a smaller thermal resistance than the first multilayer substrate 30 and the second multilayer substrate 40, and can transmit heat more efficiently.

[0039] In addition, in the thermoelectric module 100 according to the present embodiment, the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged in two adjacent rows, so that a multilayer substrate with electrode patterns formed on both sides can be applied. When the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged in three or more adjacent rows, the electric circuit in the multilayer substrate has a complex structure spanning three or more layers, and at least two or more insulating layers are required to suppress short circuits. The number of insulating layers required for the multilayer substrate increases with the number of rows in which the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged adjacently. Since insulating materials have a high thermal resistance compared to conductive materials that are generally provided as electrode patterns, when the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged in three or more adjacent rows, the thermal conductivity to the thermoelectric elements is impaired. With the thermoelectric module 100 according to the present embodiment, the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are arranged in two adjacent rows, so that the thermoelectric conversion can be efficiently performed without impairing the thermal conductivity to the thermoelectric elements.

[0040] The thermoelectric module 100 according to this embodiment is not limited to the above example, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the claims. For example, the above example has been described in which the p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type element groups are arranged in four rows and two columns, but the number of rows of the p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements can be any number. In addition, an electrode pattern may be further formed as a heat dissipation section in a portion not shown, and the shape of the electrode pattern may be changed.

[0041] <Variation 1> 6A and 6B, and 7A and 7B are plan views of the first multilayer substrate 30A and the second multilayer substrate 40A of the thermoelectric module according to the first modification. 6A and 6B show the first front electrode pattern 50AA provided on the front surface 30a of the first multilayer substrate 30A and the first back electrode pattern 50AB provided on the back surface 30b of the first multilayer substrate 30A, respectively. 7A and 7B show the second front electrode pattern 60AA provided on the front surface 40a of the second multilayer substrate 40A and the second back electrode pattern 60BA provided on the back surface 40b of the second multilayer substrate 40A, respectively. In FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B, the parts denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 2 and 3 have the same configurations, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0042] The first front surface electrode pattern 50AA differs from the first front surface electrode pattern 50A in that it includes one more adjacent stepped electrode E1', does not include a vertically elongated electrode E1, further includes a horizontally elongated electrode E0 connecting the outer n-type column 52a and the inner n-type column 52b, and has a start portion St provided in the outer n-type column 51a. The first back surface electrode pattern according to the first modification is similar to the first back surface electrode pattern 50B of the thermoelectric module 100 described above.

[0043] The second front surface electrode pattern 60AA differs from the second front surface electrode pattern 60A in that it has one more independent electrode in each of the outer p-type row 53a and the outer n-type row 54a, has one more horizontally elongated electrode in the horizontally elongated electrode row 55, and has thermally conductive portions 93a, 93b, and 93c. When the thermally conductive portions 93a, 93b, and 93c are not distinguished from each other, they may be referred to as a thermally conductive portion 93. The second back surface electrode pattern 60BA differs from the second back surface electrode pattern 60BA in that it has one more strip-shaped electrode and has a thermally conductive portion 94. In this way, the thermoelectric module according to the first modification has substantially the same size as the first multilayer substrate and the second multilayer substrate when assembled, and the thermally conductive portions 93 and 94 can be added to the second multilayer substrate.

[0044] In the thermoelectric module according to the first modification, n-type thermoelectric elements 20 are stacked so as to overlap with the inner n-type row 52b of the horizontal electrode E0, and p-type thermoelectric elements 10 are stacked so as to overlap with the inner p-type row 51b of the adjacent stepped electrode E1 having a part at the same position in the y direction as the horizontal electrode E0, and the electrodes and thermoelectric elements provide one more adjacent Π-type structure element. In the thermoelectric module according to the first modification, for example, a start portion St and an end portion En of the first front surface electrode pattern 50AA are connected to an external conductor.

[0045] The thermoelectric module according to the first modification can provide the same effects as the thermoelectric module 100. Moreover, in the thermoelectric module according to the first modification, the number of p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements that can be integrated can be increased, and by further including thermal conduction sections 93 and 94, the performance of the thermoelectric module can be further improved.

[0046] <Variation 2> Fig. 8 is a perspective view for explaining a thermoelectric module 100B according to Modification 2. For ease of explanation, Fig. 8 omits illustration of the second multilayer substrate that sandwiches the p-type element group 10 and the n-type element group 20 together with the first multilayer substrate 30. In the thermoelectric module 100B, the same components as those in the thermoelectric module 100 are given the same reference numerals, and explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0047] Figures 9A and 9B are plan views of a first multilayer substrate 30B included in the thermoelectric module 100B of Figure 8, with Figure 9A showing a first front surface electrode pattern 50BA and Figure 9B showing a first back surface electrode pattern 50BB. Figures 10A and 10B are plan views of a second multilayer substrate 40B included in the thermoelectric module 100B of Figure 8, with Figure 10A showing a second front surface electrode pattern 60BA and Figure 10B showing a second back surface electrode pattern 60BB.

[0048] The thermoelectric module 100B according to the second modification includes a plurality of n-type element groups 20 and a plurality of p-type element groups 10. In the thermoelectric module 100B, the number of n-type element groups 20 and the number of p-type element groups 10 are the same, and the number of n-type thermoelectric elements and the number of p-type thermoelectric elements are also the same. The thermoelectric module 100B is electrically connected in series from the start portion St to the end portion En. In the thermoelectric module 100B, the p-type element groups 10 are provided in two adjacent rows, an outer p-type element row 10a and an inner p-type element row 10b. In the thermoelectric module 100B, the n-type element groups 20 are provided in two adjacent rows, an outer n-type element row 20a and an inner n-type element row 20b.

[0049] The thermoelectric module 100B includes, for example, a plurality of n-type element groups 20 and p-type element groups 10, where the n-type element groups 20 and the p-type element groups 10 are arranged alternately in a first direction, and among the n-type element groups 20 and the p-type element groups 10, the element group located outermost in the first direction has one less heat conductive element than the other n-type element groups 20 and p-type element groups 10, and of the outermost element group in the first direction, no thermoelectric element is provided at one of the ends in a direction intersecting the first direction, and a lead connection portion (St, En) is provided for connecting to an external lead.

[0050] Hereinafter, in this modification, the p-type element group 10 and the n-type element group 20 arranged in parallel in the first direction, and the electrode patterns and substrates overlapping these element groups may be collectively referred to as a thermoelectric element unit. In the thermoelectric module 100B, a first unit U1, a second unit U2, and a third unit U3, which are thermoelectric element units, are arranged in the first direction from the start portion St side.

[0051] In each of the first unit U1, second unit U2, and third unit U3 of the thermoelectric module 100B of the modification 2, the first front surface electrode pattern 50BA, the first back surface electrode pattern 50BB, the second front surface electrode pattern 60BA, and the second back surface electrode pattern 60BB have a larger number of electrodes, but the shapes and arrangement of the electrode patterns are generally similar to those of the modification 1. In the thermoelectric module 100B, it is necessary to connect the first unit U1, the second unit U2, and the third unit U3, respectively, and therefore the electrode patterns differ from those of the thermoelectric module according to the modification 1 in that they are provided with inter-unit connection electrodes El2, El1, and El.

[0052] The first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are connected by inter-unit connection electrodes El2, El1, and El and electrodes in the vicinity thereof. In the thermoelectric module 100B, the electrodes pass through the portions indicated by the symbols P'1, P'2, P'3, P'4, P'5, P'6, P'7, and P'8 in the order from the side closer to the start portion St on the electric circuit. The inter-unit connection electrode El2 of the first front surface electrode pattern 50BA is an inter-unit stepped electrode that connects the separated Π-type structural element of the first unit U1 and the inter-unit Π-type structural element spanning the second unit U2 and the first unit U1. The inter-unit Π-type structural element has an n-type thermoelectric element sandwiched between the portions P'2 and P'3 of the second unit U2, a p-type thermoelectric element sandwiched between the portions P'4 and P'5 of the first unit U1, and a rectangular electrode El1 that connects these thermoelectric elements. Part P'5 is electrically connected to part P'6 via a through hole H, and is connected to part P'7 by an inter-unit connection electrode El, and is connected to part P'8 of the first front surface electrode pattern 50BA. Part P'8 can be treated as the start of the second unit. The first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are thus electrically connected in series.

[0053] The connection between the second unit U2 and the third unit U3 is similar to the connection between the first unit U1 and the second unit U2, and is made by inter-unit connection electrodes El2', El1', El' and electrodes in their vicinity. The electrodes are indicated by symbols P''1, P''2, P''3, P''4, P''5, P''6, P''7 and P''8 in the portions passing through them in order from the start portion St on the electrical circuit. The inter-unit connection electrodes El2', El1', El' have the same configuration as the inter-unit connection electrodes El2, El1, El, respectively. The second unit U2 and the third unit U3 are thus electrically connected in series.

[0054] The thermoelectric module 100B according to the second modification can provide the same effects as the thermoelectric module 100. Moreover, in the thermoelectric module 100B, the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are alternately arranged in two rows, so that, like the thermoelectric module 100, no extra insulating layers are provided on the multilayer substrate, allowing for higher integration and improving the performance of the thermoelectric module.

[0055] <Thermoelectric module manufacturing method> 11 to 13 are diagrams for explaining the method for manufacturing the thermoelectric module according to this embodiment. Fig. 11, Fig. 12, and Fig. 13 respectively show a first dicing step, a first joining step, and a second joining step, which will be described in detail later. The method for manufacturing the thermoelectric module according to this embodiment is a method for manufacturing the thermoelectric module according to the above embodiment. The method for manufacturing the thermoelectric module according to this embodiment will be explained below using the case of manufacturing the thermoelectric module 100 as an example.

[0056] The method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to this embodiment includes a first dicing step of dicing the n-type thermoelectric material I10 and the p-type thermoelectric material I10 to sizes corresponding to the n-type element group and the p-type element group to form an n-type thermoelectric material block B20 and a p-type thermoelectric material block B10, a first joining step of arranging the n-type thermoelectric material block B20 and the p-type thermoelectric material block B10 on a first front-surface electrode pattern 50A of a first multilayer substrate 30 having electrode patterns on both sides and joining them to the first front-surface electrode pattern 50A, and a second joining step of dicing the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block. and a second joining step of arranging a second front surface electrode pattern 60A of a second multilayer substrate 40 having electrode patterns on both sides together with a first front surface electrode pattern 50A so as to sandwich the n-type element group 20 and the p-type element group 10, and joining the n-type thermoelectric elements and the p-type thermoelectric elements of the n-type element group 20 and the p-type element group 10 to the second front surface electrode pattern 60A. The manufacturing method of the thermoelectric module according to this embodiment is formed so that adjacent Π-type structural elements formed of adjacent n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in order, and separated Π-type structural elements formed of separated n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in order.

[0057] (First dicing process) In the first dicing step, first, a p-type thermoelectric material I10 as shown in FIG. 11 is prepared. The p-type thermoelectric material I10 is selected from, for example, Mg2SiSn thermoelectric material, tellurium compound, skutterudite compound, filled skutterudite compound, Heusler alloy, half-Heusler compound, clathrate compound, silicide compound, silicon germanium, etc., and is doped, for example, to p-type. The p-type thermoelectric material I10 may have any shape. In the first dicing step, the p-type thermoelectric material I10 is diced by a known method to form a p-type thermoelectric material block B10 having a shape corresponding to the p-type element group. In addition, the n-type thermoelectric material is diced to form an n-type thermoelectric material block in the same manner as the method of dicing the p-type thermoelectric material I10 to form the p-type thermoelectric material block B10. The n-type thermoelectric material is different from the p-type thermoelectric material in that it is doped to n-type.

[0058] (Substrate preparation process) The substrate preparation step is a step of preparing a first multilayer substrate 30 and a second multilayer substrate 40. In the substrate preparation step, for example, first, a substrate is prepared with through holes H formed at desired positions, such as Si, SiC, Al2O3, ceramic materials, nitride semiconductors such as SiN, AlN, and GaN, glass epoxy resin, etc. When a substrate made of a semiconductor material is used as the substrate, an insulating layer is formed, for example, on the surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the through holes H. The insulating layer can be formed, for example, by heating in the air and oxidizing the surface of the substrate.

[0059] Next, the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A are formed by patterning or the like. Next, a conductive material such as a metal, alloy, or conductive paste selected from the group consisting of Cu, Al, Cr, Zn, Au, Rh, Pt, Pd, Ag, Sn, Ni, and C is formed in the through holes H. Next, the first back surface electrode pattern 50B and the second back surface electrode pattern 60B are formed so as to connect to the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A, respectively, in the portions where the through holes H are provided. Materials such as Cu, Ni, Ag, Au, and Al are used as the electrode patterns. The order of the processes in the substrate preparation process is arbitrary.

[0060] (1st joining process) In the first bonding step, first, a p-type thermoelectric material block B10 and an n-type thermoelectric material block B20 as shown in Fig. 12 are prepared, as well as a first multilayer substrate 30 having electrode patterns on both sides. The first multilayer substrate 30 has a first front surface electrode pattern 50A provided on its front surface, and a first back surface electrode pattern 50B provided on its back surface. The first front surface electrode pattern is divided into a first portion 51 and a second portion 52 aligned in a first direction. In the first bonding step, the p-type thermoelectric material block is provided on the first portion 51, and the n-type thermoelectric material block is provided on the second portion.

[0061] The first front surface electrode pattern 50A has, for example, a plurality of adjacent stepped electrodes in which adjacent thermoelectric elements of different polarities of Π-type structural elements are connected in series, a plurality of single electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute the spaced Π-type structural elements are individually connected, and a vertically elongated electrode including a start portion and an end portion.

[0062] In the first joining step, the p-type thermoelectric material block B10 is joined to each of the electrodes located in the first portion 51 among the vertically long electrode, the single electrode, and the adjacent stepped electrode. The joining of the p-type thermoelectric material block B10 to the electrodes can be performed by a known means such as solder joining, brazing joining, or joining with a paste. The n-type thermoelectric material block B20 is joined to each of the electrodes located in the second portion 52 among the vertically long electrode, the single electrode, and the adjacent stepped electrode in the same manner as the p-type thermoelectric material block B20.

[0063] (Second dicing process) In the second dicing process, as shown in FIG. 13, the n-type thermoelectric material block B20 and the p-type thermoelectric material block B10 joined to the first front surface electrode pattern 50A are diced to form an n-type element group 20 consisting of a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, and a p-type element group 20 consisting of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows.

[0064] The p-type thermoelectric material block B10 and the n-type thermoelectric material block B20 are diced by a known method. The p-type thermoelectric material block B10 and the n-type thermoelectric material block B20 are diced so that each of the p-type thermoelectric element and the n-type thermoelectric element is sized to overlap only one electrode.

[0065] (Second joining process) In the second bonding process, a second multilayer substrate 40 having electrode patterns on both sides is prepared, and its front surface electrode pattern 60A is arranged between the first front surface electrode pattern 50A and the second front surface electrode pattern 60A so as to sandwich the n-type element group 20 and the p-type element group 10, and the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements of each of the n-type element group 20 and the p-type element group 10 are bonded to the second front surface electrode pattern 60A.

[0066] The second front surface electrode pattern 60A has, for example, a plurality of horizontally elongated electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute the adjacent Π-type structural element are connected in series, and a plurality of individual electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements that constitute the spaced Π-type structural element are individually connected.

[0067] In the second bonding step, each of the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements is bonded to only one electrode. The bonding between the second front surface electrode pattern 60A and the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements in the second bonding step can be performed by using the same means as the bonding between the first front surface electrode pattern and the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements.

[0068] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric module 100 of FIG. 1 can be formed in such a manner that adjacent Π-type structural elements formed of adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence, and spaced Π-type structural elements formed of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence.

[0069] A slicing step may be further included before the first dicing step, in which the thicknesses of the p-type thermoelectric material and the n-type thermoelectric material are sliced ​​to be the same as the thicknesses of the p-type thermoelectric element and the n-type thermoelectric element. The high and low potentials of the start portion St and the end portion En are reversed by reversing the high and low of the heat applied to the first back electrode pattern 50B and the second back electrode pattern 60B.

[0070] In the method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module according to this embodiment, a p-type thermoelectric material block and an n-type thermoelectric material block are arranged on a multilayer substrate having electrode patterns on both sides, and the thermoelectric material block is joined to the electrode patterns, and then the thermoelectric material block is diced to form a thermoelectric element. Therefore, the process of arranging the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements is simple, and there is no need to invest in a transport robot for transporting the diced p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements one by one. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10: p-type element group, 10a: outer p-type element row, 10b: inner p-type element row, 20: n-type element group, 20a: outer n-type element row, 20b: inner n-type element row, 30, 30A: first multilayer board, 30a: front surface (of the first multilayer board), 30b: rear surface (of the first multilayer board), 30c: main part, 40, 40A: second multilayer board, 40a: front surface (of the second multilayer board), 40b: rear surface (of the second multilayer board), 40c: main part, 50A, 50AA, 50BA: first front surface electrode pattern, 50B, 50AB, 50BB: first back surface electrode pattern, 51: first portion, 51a: outer p-type row, 51b: inner n-type row, 52: second portion, 52a: outer n-type row, 52b: inner n-type row, 53a: outer p-type row, 54a: outer n-type row, 55: horizontally elongated electrode row, 57: connection portion, 60A, 60AA, 60BA: second front surface electrode pattern, 60B, 60BB: second back surface electrode pattern, 91, 92: heat conductive portion, 100, 100B: thermoelectric module, B10: p-type thermoelectric material block, B20: n-type thermoelectric material block, E0: horizontal electrode, E1, E33: vertical electrode, E1´, E3, E5, E7: adjacent stepped electrodes, E2, E4, E6, E8: horizontal electrodes, E9, E11, E12, E14, E15, E17, E18, E21, E23, E24, E26, E27, E29, E30, E32: single electrode, E10: connecting electrode, E13, E1 9, E20, E25, E31: strip electrodes, E16, E22, E28: spaced stepped electrodes, El, El´: inter-unit connection electrodes, El1, El1´: inter-unit connection electrodes (rectangular electrodes), El2, El2´: inter-unit connection electrodes, En: end portion (lead connection portion), St: start portion (lead connection portion), H: through hole, U1: first unit, U2: second unit, U3: third unit

Claims

1. a first multilayer substrate having a first front electrode pattern and a first back electrode pattern on a front surface and a back surface, respectively; a second multilayer substrate having a second front surface electrode pattern and a second back surface electrode pattern on a front surface and a back surface, respectively; An n-type element group including a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows; a p-type element group arranged in parallel with the n-type element group and composed of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, the n-type element group and the p-type element group are disposed between the first front surface electrode pattern of the first multilayer substrate and the second front surface electrode pattern of the second multilayer substrate; a thermoelectric module in which the first front surface electrode pattern, the first back surface electrode pattern, the second front surface electrode pattern, and the second back surface electrode pattern are formed such that adjacent Π-type structural elements formed of adjacent n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence, and spaced Π-type structural elements formed of spaced n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series in sequence.

2. 2. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1, wherein the first front surface electrode pattern, the first back surface electrode pattern, the second front surface electrode pattern, and the second back surface electrode pattern are formed so that an adjacent Π-type structural element group in which the adjacent Π-type structural elements are connected in series in sequence and a spaced Π-type structural element group in which the spaced Π-type structural elements are connected in series in sequence are connected in series.

3. 3. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1, wherein the second front surface electrode pattern has a plurality of horizontally elongated electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements constituting the adjacent Π-type structural element are connected in series, and a plurality of independent electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements constituting the spaced Π-type structural element are individually connected.

4. 4. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1, wherein the second back electrode pattern has a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes to which the n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements constituting the spaced Π structure element are connected in series.

5. 5. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1, wherein the first front surface electrode pattern has a plurality of adjacent stepped electrodes in which adjacent thermoelectric elements of the adjacent Π-type structural elements having different polarities are connected in series, and a plurality of single electrodes to which n-type thermoelectric elements and p-type thermoelectric elements constituting the spaced Π-type structural elements are individually connected.

6. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1 , wherein the first back electrode pattern has a plurality of spaced stepped electrodes in which adjacent spaced Π-type structural elements having thermoelectric elements with different polarities are connected in series.

7. The thermoelectric module according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the n-type element groups and a plurality of the p-type element groups.

8. a first dicing step of dicing the n-type thermoelectric material and the p-type thermoelectric material into sizes corresponding to the n-type element group and the p-type element group to form an n-type thermoelectric material block and a p-type thermoelectric material block; a first bonding step of disposing the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block on a first front electrode pattern of a first multilayer substrate having electrode patterns on both sides thereof and bonding the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block to the first front electrode pattern; a second dicing step of dicing the n-type thermoelectric material block and the p-type thermoelectric material block to form an n-type element group consisting of a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows, and a p-type element group consisting of a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements arranged in two adjacent rows; a second bonding process for arranging a second front surface electrode pattern of a second multilayer substrate having electrode patterns on both sides thereof together with the first front surface electrode pattern so as to sandwich the n-type element group and the p-type element group, and bonding the n-type thermoelectric elements and the p-type thermoelectric elements of the n-type element group and the p-type element group to the second front surface electrode pattern, A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric module, comprising forming adjacent Π-type structural elements each formed of adjacent n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements in series, and forming spaced Π-type structural elements each formed of spaced n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements in series.

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