Peltier element with heat flow sensor

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a Peltier element provided with an ultra-low-heat-resistance heat flow sensor that can quickly detect a heat flow passing through the Peltier element and that has such a low heat resistance as to be ignored. [Solution] The present invention is structured to form an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 directly on at least one of the top and the bottom of an insulating substrate forming a Peltier element 10.　The present invention is preferably characterized in that: each fine line (22a) of a power generating body is formed of a magnetic body having remanent magnetization even without an external magnetic field and is magnetized in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the fine line; and each fine line (23a) of a connection body is formed of a ferromagnetic body magnetized in the opposite direction to the direction in which each fine line (22a) is magnetized, a magnetic body having a Nernst coefficient with an opposite sign to that of the fine line (22a), or a non-magnetic body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a Peltier element with a heat flow sensor. [Background technology]

[0002] The Seebeck effect, a common thermoelectric effect, is a phenomenon in which an electric field is generated parallel to a temperature gradient when a temperature gradient is applied to a conductive material (Figure 6(A)). A Seebeck-type heat flow sensor has a structure in which thermoelectric materials with positive and negative Seebeck coefficients are alternately aligned and connected in series above and below in the direction of the temperature gradient generated by the heat flow passing through the sensor (Fig. 7(A)).Heat flow sensors using the Seebeck effect have already been commercialized and are on the market, but their applications have been limited due to various issues such as their complex structure, high thermal resistance, low flexibility, and high cost.

[0003] On the other hand, the anomalous Nernst effect that occurs in magnetic materials is characterized by the appearance of an electric field perpendicular to the temperature gradient caused by the heat flow passing through the sensor and the magnetization of the magnetic material (Figure 6(B)). Recently, the inventors of the present invention have demonstrated that by utilizing a special thermoelectric effect that occurs in magnetic materials, known as the "anomalous Nernst effect," a very simple structure with in-plane connections can amplify voltage and function as a heat flow sensor [see Non-Patent Document 1]. An anomalous Nernst type heat flow sensor has a series connection structure of magnetic wires that are stretched in a direction perpendicular to the temperature gradient (Figure 7(B)). This anomalous Nernst type heat flow sensor can be formed on an extremely thin flexible sheet, so it is expected to have not only low thermal resistance but also high flexibility and be manufactured inexpensively.

[0004] On the other hand, the Peltier effect, the opposite effect of the Seebeck effect (a phenomenon in which heat flows when an electric current is passed through it and the direction of the heat flow changes depending on the direction of the electric current), is a rare device that can both heat and cool an object using a single module. It is widely used in Peltier coolers, CCD cooling, CPU cooling, temperature control of silicon wafers in semiconductor chip manufacturing, microbial culture devices, and thermal devices (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Because Peltier elements are devices that control heat flow, quantitative detection and control of heat flow using Peltier elements should enable even more precise temperature control. Furthermore, attempts have been made to use Peltier elements to control the human body's temperature sensation (see Non-Patent Document 2), and it is expected that more precise control of temperature sensation will be possible by detecting heat flow. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-46144 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-282796 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] W. Zhou et al., Appl Phys. Express 13, 043001 (2020). [Non-patent document 2] Yukiko Osawa,et al., "Control of Thermal Conductance with Detection of Single Contacting Part for Rendering Spatial Sensation," IEEJ Journal of Industry Applications, vol.5, no.2, pp.101-107, Mar. 2016 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the density of the heat flow passing through a Peltier element is not determined solely by the magnitude and direction of the current flowing through it, but depends on a complex thermal circuit that includes the thermal boundary conditions on the cooling and heating sides. Therefore, it is not easy to quantitatively measure the amount of heat flow generated by a Peltier element. When the Seebeck heat flow sensor is attached to a Peltier element to measure heat flow, the thermal resistance is 10 -1 ~10 -2 m 2 Because the heat flux is so large, on the order of K / W, the use of a heat flux sensor would significantly impair the cooling and heating efficiency of the Peltier element, making the use of a Seebeck heat flux sensor impractical.

[0008] On the other hand, heat flow sensors utilizing the anomalous Nernst effect are known devices [see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1] and have been fabricated on insulating substrates such as Si or MgO with thermal oxide films, or on flexible ultrathin sheets such as polyimide or polyethylene naphthalate. Because the magnetic thin film contributes to thermoelectric conversion, the thermal resistance of the sensor is 10 -3 ~10 -6 m 2 K / W, which is a thermal resistance 1 to 4 orders of magnitude smaller than that of a Seebeck-type heat flow sensor. However, even in this case, when attached to a Peltier element, there is an unavoidable problem of thermal resistance occurring that reduces the efficiency of heat flow control. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a Peltier element with an ultra-low thermal resistance heat flow sensor that can quickly detect the heat flow passing through the Peltier element and has negligible thermal resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) The Peltier element with heat flow sensor of the present invention has a structure in which an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 is formed directly on the top or bottom, or both, of an insulating substrate on which a Peltier element 10 is formed, as shown in FIG.

[0010] (2) In the Peltier element with heat flow sensor (1) of the present invention, the Peltier element preferably has a PN junction element sandwiched between insulating substrates, and the insulating substrates are provided with electrodes, as shown in FIG. 2, and the electrodes on the bottom surface of the package are directly connected to the electrodes on the Peltier element by abutting them. (3) In the Peltier element with heat flow sensor (2) of the present invention, the insulating substrate is preferably either a ceramic substrate or a flexible sheet.

[0011] (4) In the Peltier elements with heat flow sensors (1) to (3) of the present invention, preferably, the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor comprises, as shown in FIG. 3, a power generating body 22 made up of a plurality of thin wires 22a arranged parallel to each other (y direction) along the surface of an insulating substrate 21, and a connecting body 23 made up of a plurality of thin wires 23a arranged parallel to each other and between each thin wire 22a of the power generating body 22 along the surface of the insulating substrate 21, and Each of the thin wires 22a of the power generating body 22 is a magnetic material that has residual magnetization even in the absence of an external magnetic field and is magnetized in the same direction (x direction), and each of the thin wires 22a of the connecting body 23 electrically connects one end of each of the thin wires 22a of the power generating body 22 to the other end of the thin wire 22a adjacent to the one side of each of the thin wires 22a, The connecting body 23 may be made of a magnetic material magnetized in the opposite direction to the magnetization direction of each of the fine wires 22a, a magnetic material having a Nernst coefficient with an opposite sign to that of each of the fine wires 22a, or a non-magnetic material. (5) In the Peltier element with heat flow sensor (4) of the present invention, the magnetic material of the thin wires 22 and 23 is preferably any one of Fe—Al, Fe—Ga, Fe—Sn, Fe—Pt, Mn—Ga, Mn—Ge, Mn—Sn, Ni—Pt, Co—Gd, FeN, MnAN (A=Mn, Pt, Ni), CoYZ (Y=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Z=Ga, Ge, Al, Si, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloy, Sm—Co permanent magnet material, Nd—Fe—B permanent magnet material, FePt L10 ordered alloy, FePd L10 ordered alloy, and CoPt L10 ordered alloy. (6) In the Peltier element with heat flow sensor (4) of the present invention, the non-magnetic material is preferably any one of Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Rh, W, Mo, Pt, Pd, and alloy materials containing these.

[0012] (7) In the Peltier element with heat flow sensor (1) to (6) of the present invention, it is preferable to have a heat dissipation fin attached to the Peltier element. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the present invention, a metal thin film (multiple thin wires constituting the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor) with a thickness of several tens to several thousand nm is directly formed on the Peltier element and patterned, so the thermal resistance is 10 -8 ~10 -10 m 2 The effect is extremely small, at only 1000 kJ / W, and has absolutely no effect on the cooling or heating efficiency of the Peltier element, making it possible to measure the heat flow density passing through the Peltier element in extremely high speed, real time.Since the heat flow is detected using the anomalous Nernst effect, which is a thermoelectric effect, no external power supply is required, and measurement is possible by measuring the voltage at two terminals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of the configuration of a Peltier element with a heat flow sensor, showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a cooling / heating module using a Peltier element. [Figure 3] (A) A perspective view showing the basic structure of a heat flow sensor using the anomalous Nernst effect used in the present invention. (B) An example of the evaluation results of the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor, showing the change in the anomalous Nernst voltage output with respect to the external magnetic field when the heat flow density in the z direction is changed. (C) The dependence of the anomalous Nernst voltage on the heat flow density is shown. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an experimental device in which an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor is patterned on top of a Peltier element according to one embodiment of the present invention, and showing temperature measurement using a heat flow and a thermocouple attached to a copper plate. [Figure 5] An anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor was patterned on top of a Peltier element showing one embodiment of the present invention, and this figure shows the results of measuring the heat flow and the temperature using a thermocouple attached to a copper plate when the input voltage to the Peltier element was changed. (A) shows the input current to the Peltier element, (B) shows the detected heat flow density, and (C) shows the time change in the detected temperature. [Figure 6] (A) is an explanatory diagram of the Seebeck effect, and (B) is an explanatory diagram of the anomalous Nernst effect. [Figure 7] (A) is an explanatory diagram of a Seebeck-type heat flow sensor, and (B) is an explanatory diagram of an anomalous Nernst-type heat flow sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below. Note that the upper and lower limits of a range indicated by "~" are inclusive unless otherwise specified. For example, "AA~BB" indicates a range from AA to BB.

[0016] [Outline of Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor] The Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by the use of a single substrate that serves as both the insulating base 12 constituting the Peltier element 10 and the insulating substrate 21 constituting the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20. 1 is a perspective view of the configuration of a Peltier element 100 with a heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. The Peltier element 100 with a heat flow sensor has a structure in which an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 is formed directly on the top or bottom, or both, of an insulating substrate 21 (insulating base 12) of the Peltier element 10 (i.e., on at least one of the heat absorption surface and heat generation surface of the Peltier element 10). Due to its physical action, the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 is also called a thermoelectric conversion element or a thermoelectric power generation device. The basic configuration of the Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention is similar to that of the single Peltier element 10 and anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 according to the reference example described below. The Peltier element 10 and the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "heat flow sensor 20") will be described below.

[0017] [Configuration of the standalone example] (Peltier element 10 according to reference example) The Peltier element 10 typically comprises a pair of opposing insulating bases 12 having a pair of outer surfaces 12a and a pair of inner surfaces 12b, a plurality of N-type elements 11N and P-type elements 11P (PN junction elements) sandwiched between the pair of inner surfaces 12b of the pair of insulating bases 12, and a pair of electrode patterns 15 formed on the inner surfaces 12b of the pair of insulating bases 12 so as to alternately connect the N-type and P-type elements 11N and 11P in series. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a cooling / heating module 19 using a Peltier element 10. The Peltier element 10, which is a thermoelectric conversion element, is an element in which P-type elements made of P-type semiconductors and N-type elements made of N-type semiconductors are alternately electrically connected, and when electricity is applied, a cooling / heating effect known as the Peltier effect occurs at the junction between the P-type elements and the N-type elements. This Peltier element 10 is typically used for cooling / temperature control of semiconductor devices and the like as a cooling / heating module 19 equipped with multiple P-type elements 11P and N-type elements 11N. In the Peltier element 10 used in such a cooling / heating module 19, the outer surfaces 12a of a pair of insulating bases 12 are configured as heat absorbing and heating surfaces. As shown in Figure 2, the cooling / heating module 19 is constructed by sandwiching a plurality of N-type elements 11N and P-type elements 11P between a pair of Peltier element mounting wiring boards 18, each consisting of an insulating base 12 and an electrode pattern 15 formed on the inner surface 12b of the insulating base 12. The N-type elements 11N and P-type elements 11P are sandwiched alternately on the electrode pattern 15 so that they are electrically in series and thermally in parallel. Furthermore, the cooling / heating module 19 may have a configuration in which an electrode (electrode pattern 15) provided on the bottom surface (inner surface 12b of the insulating base 12) inside the package is directly connected by abutting it against an electrode serving as an external terminal of the Peltier element 10. In other words, the Peltier element 10 may have an external connection electrode 17 connected to one of the pair of electrode patterns 15, and may have this as an external configuration.

[0018] In addition, the insulating base 12 is responsible for holding the N-type and P-type elements 11N and 11P, wiring between the N-type and P-type elements 11N and 11P, and heat exchange between the N-type and P-type elements 11N and 11P and semiconductor devices (not shown) and heat dissipation substrates (not shown) mounted on the cooling / heating module 19.

[0019] Porcelain such as aluminum nitride sintered body or alumina sintered body, which has excellent thermal conductivity, is used for the pair of insulating bases 12. In order to reduce the thermal resistance of the insulating bases 12 and increase the heat exchange efficiency of the cooling / heating module 19, the use of aluminum nitride sintered body, which can be made thinner and has high thermal conductivity, is increasingly being used for the porcelain used for the insulating bases 12.

[0020] The Peltier element 10 utilizes the Peltier effect, where heat is generated and absorbed at the metal surface when an electric current is passed through two types of metal that have been joined together. Currently, P-type and N-type semiconductors are used instead of metals. This type of heat conversion also occurs at the junction between P-type and N-type semiconductors. In order for electrons to move from the P-type semiconductor, which has a low energy level, to the N-type semiconductor, which has a high energy level, energy must be taken in from the outside, and at this time, heat is absorbed (on one of the outer surfaces 12a of the Peltier element 10), allowing the temperature to drop.

[0021] Common thermoelectric materials used in the semiconductors that make up the N-type and P-type elements 11N and 11P include bismuth telluride, lead telluride, silicon germanium, and bismuth-antimony alloys, of which bismuth telluride is the most commonly used.

[0022] (Heat flow sensor 20 according to the reference example) 3 is a perspective view showing a conceptual configuration for explaining a heat flow sensor 20 (thermoelectric conversion device) based on the anomalous Nernst effect used in the present invention, and is a perspective view showing the basic structure of the heat flow sensor 20 (thermoelectric power generation device) utilizing the anomalous Nernst effect. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat flow sensor 20 has an insulating substrate 21, a power generation body 22, and a connection body 23.

[0023] In general, at least the surface layer of the insulating substrate 21 is made of an electrical insulator, such as a ceramic material such as aluminum nitride, a silicon substrate with a thermal oxide film, or an MgO single crystal substrate. The power generator 22 is made up of a plurality of thin wires 22a that extend in the y direction (first direction) along the surface (xy plane) of the insulating substrate 21 and are arranged parallel to each other in the x direction (second direction) perpendicular to the y direction. Each thin wire 22a is a magnetic body that has residual magnetization (i.e., has magnetization even without the application of an external magnetic field) and is magnetized in the same direction in the x direction (the width direction of the thin wires 22a). 3(A) and 3(B) , in a specific example of the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 fabricated on a substrate, each thin wire 22a is formed by thinning an FeAl thin film formed on a flexible sheet (insulating substrate 21), and is made of a magnetic material having residual magnetization in the width direction (x direction) of the thin wire 22a. The power generator 22 is configured to generate electricity in a direction (y direction) perpendicular to the magnetization direction (x direction) of the thin wire 22a and the direction of the temperature difference (z direction) when a temperature difference occurs in the direction (z direction: thickness direction of the insulating base 12) perpendicular to the magnetization direction (x direction) of the thin wire 22a due to the anomalous Nernst effect.

[0024] Positive thermoelectric materials such as Fe-Al, Fe-Ga, Fe-Sn, Fe-Pt, Mn-Sn, Co2YZ (Y = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe; Z = Ga, Ge, Al, Si, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloys, Sm-Co permanent magnets, FePt L10 ordered alloys, FePd L10 ordered alloys, and CoPt L10 ordered alloys can be used for the power generator 22. It is also known that the sign of thermoelectric power is not determined solely by the elemental composition of the materials. In other words, even within the same material system, thermoelectric power can be either positive or negative (for example, Fe-Ga can be negative at low Ga concentrations). In such cases, the combination of magnetic materials should be determined based on the positive and negative thermoelectric power signs.

[0025] The connector 23 has a configuration in which the plurality of thin wires 22a of the power generating body 22 are connected in series so that current flows through the plurality of thin wires 22a in the same direction in the y direction (first direction). For example, the connector 23 is made up of a plurality of thin wires 23a arranged along the surface (xy plane) of the insulating substrate 21, parallel to and between the thin wires 22a of the power generator 22. Each thin wire 23a of the connector 23 is configured to electrically connect one end of a first thin wire to the other end of a second thin wire of adjacent first and second thin wires of each thin wire 22a of the power generator 22. This allows the connector 23 to electrically connect the thin wires 22a of the power generator 22 in series. However, the connector 23 is not limited to the above configuration, and may have any configuration as long as it can electrically connect the fine wires 22a of the power generating body 22 in series so that current flows in the same direction. If the connecting body 23 is a magnetic material (e.g., a ferromagnetic material) having the same sign of the Nernst coefficient as the power generating body 22, the detection sensitivity can be improved by magnetizing it in the opposite magnetization direction to that of the power generating body 22 (in the x direction). If the connecting body 23 is a magnetic material (e.g., a ferromagnetic material) having the same sign of the Nernst coefficient as the power generating body 22, the detection sensitivity can be improved by magnetizing it in the same magnetization direction as that of the power generating body 22 (in the x direction). The connecting body 23 can also be made of a non-magnetic material that provides electrical connection. In a specific example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the connecting body 23 is made of a non-magnetic material, Au. Figure 3(B) shows the change in the anomalous Nernst voltage output with respect to an external magnetic field when the heat flow density in the z direction (thickness direction of insulating substrate 21) is changed. Figure 3(C) shows the dependence of the anomalous Nernst voltage on the heat flow density. In this specific example, insulating substrate 21 is a polyimide (flexible sheet) measuring 10 mm x 10 mm, and each of the fine wires 22a of power generator 22 is made of FeAl, with ten fine wires 22a. Each of the fine wires 23a of connector 23 is made of Au. An anomalous Nernst voltage is output even in the absence of an external magnetic field, demonstrating its function as a heat flow sensor that responds linearly to the applied heat flow density. The thickness of the thin wires 22a, 23a of the power generating body 22 and the connector 23 is, for example, in the order of several tens to several thousands of nm.

[0026] The heat flow sensor 20 utilizes the anomalous Nernst effect, and therefore can detect heat flow by utilizing residual magnetization without applying an external magnetic field.

[0027] [Details of Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor] In the Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention, the insulating base 12 of the Peltier element 10 is used as the insulating substrate 21 of the heat flow sensor 20. This allows the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 to be fabricated directly on the Peltier element 10. In this case, the thermal resistance applied to the Peltier element 10 is only the metal thin film (plurality of thin wires 22a, 23a) that constitutes the power generating body 22 and the connector 23. Therefore, if the thickness is about 0.1 to 10 μm, -8 ~10 -10 m 2 The effect of the anomalous Nernst effect on the temperature difference is extremely small, resulting in an extremely small increase in thermal resistance. Therefore, the increase in thermal resistance due to the fabrication of the heat flow sensor 20 is extremely small, and in addition to not affecting the cooling and heating performance of the Peltier element 10, high-speed heat flow detection is possible. By utilizing the anomalous Nernst effect, a potential difference is generated in a direction perpendicular to the temperature difference, so compared to those that utilize the Seebeck effect, a simpler structure can be constructed and the sensor can be easily fabricated.

[0028] In the Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor of the present invention, the above-described configuration of the single Peltier element 10 and heat flow sensor 20 can typically be used, but the following configuration is preferable.

[0029] The pair of insulating substrates 21 (insulating bases 12) constituting the Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention may be either ceramic substrates or flexible sheets.

[0030] The magnetic material of the power generation body 22 according to one embodiment of the present invention is preferably any one of Fe—Al, Fe—Ga, Fe—Sn, Fe—Pt, Mn—Ga, Mn—Ge, Mn—Sn, Ni—Pt, Co—Gd, Fe4N, Mn3AN (A=Mn, Pt, Ni), Co2YZ (Y=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Z=Ga, Ge, Al, Si, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloy, Sm—Co permanent magnet material, Nd—Fe—B permanent magnet material, FePt L10 ordered alloy, FePd L10 ordered alloy, and CoPt L10 ordered alloy.

[0031] The non-magnetic material of the connector 23 according to one embodiment of the present invention is preferably any one of Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Rh, W, Mo, Pt, Pd, and alloy materials containing these.

[0032] The Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention may have heat dissipation fins on the heat generating surface of the Peltier element 10. Also, heat dissipation fins may be provided on the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20.

[0033] [Example] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an experimental device in which an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 is patterned on the top (outer surface 12a) of a Peltier element 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and shows the heat flow and temperature measurement using a thermocouple attached to a copper plate. Note that Fig. 4 shows a state in which the heat dissipation fins have been removed. Preferably, heat dissipation fins should also be attached to the Peltier element.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 using Fe-Ga magnetic wire and Au wire was directly patterned on the ceramic plate of a commercially available Peltier element 10. The thickness of the Fe-Ga and Au films was 50 nm, and the resulting increase in the thermal resistance of the Peltier element 10 was 10 -10 m 2 The heat flux is so small that it can be ignored, on the order of K / W. The fabricated Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor was attached to a copper plate via a heat dissipation sheet, and a thermocouple for temperature monitoring was then attached to the copper plate. A power supply to the Peltier element 10 and a digital multimeter for measuring the voltage of the thermocouple and heat flow sensor were then wired.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows the results of measuring the heat flow and the temperature using a thermocouple attached to a copper plate when an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 is patterned on the top (outer surface 12a) of a Peltier element 10 representing one embodiment of the present invention and the input voltage to the Peltier element 10 is changed.

[0036] The temperature of the copper plate is heated and cooled by heat flow control using the Peltier element 10, but this change is detected gradually. On the other hand, the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 detects the sudden change in heat flow immediately after changing the input voltage to the Peltier element 10 with an extremely high response speed of less than one second. It has been demonstrated that the use of the present invention makes it possible to quickly and accurately detect heat flow fluctuations caused by the Peltier element 10.

[0037] The Peltier element 10 is a rare device that can perform both heating and cooling, and is widely used in air conditioners, electronic devices, cameras, medical equipment, etc. The Peltier element 10 is a device that controls the flow of heat by applying an electric current through the thermoelectric effect, but the amount of heat flowing in and out through the Peltier element 10 is generally estimated indirectly through the temperature of the object being cooled or heated, and the heat flow of the Peltier element 10 itself is not directly measured, which means there are limits to the precision of temperature control. The present invention relates to a "Peltier element with an ultra-low thermal resistance heat flow sensor" that can detect heat flow passing through the Peltier element 10 at high speed by forming a thin-film anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor 20 directly on a ceramic or other plate that forms the Peltier element 10, thereby exerting negligibly small thermal resistance.

[0038] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0039] The Peltier element 100 with heat flow sensor of the present invention can be used in any application device that uses a Peltier element, and for example, in a Peltier cooler, it is expected that it will be possible to more accurately predict temperature changes due to heat flow and enable precise temperature control to within 0.1°C. In thermal devices that utilize Peltier elements, advanced control will be possible by matching the direction and magnitude of heat flow with the warmth felt by the human body.

[0040] The present invention can also be configured as follows. [1] A Peltier element with a heat flow sensor, in which an anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor is formed directly on at least one of the heat absorption surface and heat generation surface of the Peltier element. [2] The Peltier element is a pair of insulating substrates each having a pair of outer surfaces that form the heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface, and a pair of inner surfaces that face each other; a P-type element and an N-type element sandwiched between the pair of inner surfaces of the pair of insulating bases; a pair of electrode patterns formed on the pair of inner surfaces of the pair of insulating bases so as to alternately connect the P-type elements and the N-type elements in series; an external connection electrode connected to one of the pair of electrode patterns; The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to [1] above, comprising: [3] The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to [2] above, wherein the pair of insulating substrates are either ceramic substrates or flexible sheets. [4] The anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor is a power generator arranged along at least one of the heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface, extending along a first direction and including a plurality of thin wires arranged parallel to one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a connector configured to connect the plurality of thin wires in series so that current flows through the plurality of thin wires in the same direction in the first direction; In addition to providing the power generating body is made of a magnetic material having residual magnetization in the second direction, The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to any one of [1] to [3] above, characterized in that the connecting body is made of a magnetic material having a Nernst coefficient of the same sign as that of the power generator and having residual magnetization in the opposite direction to that of the power generator, a non-magnetic material, or a magnetic material having a Nernst coefficient of the opposite sign to that of the power generator and having residual magnetization in the same direction as that of the power generator. [5] The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to [4] above, wherein the magnetic material of the power generating body is any one of Fe-Al, Fe-Ga, Fe-Sn, Fe-Pt, Mn-Ga, Mn-Ge, Mn-Sn, Ni-Pt, Co-Gd, Fe4N, Mn3AN (A = Mn, Pt, Ni), Co2YZ (Y = Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Z = Ga, Ge, Al, Si, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloy, Sm-Co permanent magnet material, Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet material, FePt L10 ordered alloy, FePd L10 ordered alloy, and CoPt L10 ordered alloy. [6] The Peltier element with heat flow sensor described in [4] above, wherein the non-magnetic material of the connector is any one of Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Rh, W, Mo, Pt, Pd, and alloy materials containing these. [7] The Peltier element with a heat flow sensor according to any one of [1] to [6] above, a Peltier element with a heat flow sensor, the Peltier element having heat dissipation fins attached to the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor;

[0041] 11N / 11P N-type element / P-type element 12 Insulating substrate 15 Electrode Pattern 18 Peltier element mounting wiring board 19 Heating and cooling module / Peltier element 20 Thermoelectric power generation device / heat flow sensor 21 Insulating substrate 22 Power generator (magnetic wire) 22a thin line 23 Connectors (ferromagnetic and non-magnetic) 23a thin line 100 Peltier element with heat flow sensor

Claims

1. The anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor has a structure in which a plurality of thin wires constituting the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor are directly formed on the upper or lower or both outer surfaces of a pair of insulating substrates that sandwich a P-type element and an N-type element that form a Peltier element, A pair of electrode patterns are formed on a pair of inner surfaces of the pair of insulating substrates, the pair of electrode patterns connecting the N-type elements and the P-type elements alternately in series.

2. The Peltier element is 2. The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein electrodes provided on the bottom surface of the package and electrodes of the Peltier element are directly connected by contacting each other.

3. 3. The Peltier element with a heat flow sensor according to claim 2, wherein the insulating substrate is either a ceramic substrate or a flexible sheet.

4. The plurality of thin wires constituting the anomalous Nernst heat flow sensor are a power generator consisting of a plurality of thin wires (22a) arranged parallel to each other (in the y direction) along the surface of the insulating substrate; a connecting body consisting of a plurality of thin wires (23a) arranged parallel to and between the thin wires (22a) of the power generating body along the surface of the insulating substrate; Each thin wire (22a) of the power generating body is made of a magnetic material that has residual magnetization even in the absence of an external magnetic field, and is magnetized in the same direction in the width direction (x direction) of each thin wire (22a) of the power generating body, Each thin wire (23a) of the connecting body electrically connects one end of each thin wire (22a) of the power generating body to the other end of the adjacent thin wire (22a) on one side of each thin wire (22a), 4. A Peltier element with a heat flow sensor according to claim 1, wherein the connecting body is made of a magnetic material magnetized in the opposite direction to the magnetization direction of each of the thin wires (22 a), a non-magnetic material, or a magnetic material having a Nernst coefficient of the opposite sign to that of each of the thin wires (22 a).

5. The magnetic material of the power generating body is Fe—Al, Fe—Ga, Fe—Sn, Fe—Pt, Mn—Ga, Mn—Ge, Mn—Sn, Ni—Pt, Co—Gd, Fe ４ N, Mn ３ AN (A=Mn, Pt, Ni), Co ２ YZ (Y=Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Z=Ga, Ge, Al, Si, Sn, Sb) Heusler alloy, Sm-Co permanent magnet material, Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet material, FePt L1 ０ Regular pattern alloy, FePd L1 ０ Pattern ordered alloy, CoPt L1 ０ 5. The Peltier element with a heat flow sensor according to claim 4, wherein the Peltier element is made of any one of the following ordered alloys:

6. 5. The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to claim 4, wherein the non-magnetic material of the connector is any one of Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Rh, W, Mo, Pt, Pd, and alloy materials containing any of these.

7. 2. The Peltier element with heat flow sensor according to claim 1, a Peltier element with a heat flow sensor, the Peltier element having heat dissipation fins attached to the heat flow sensor;

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