Microstructure for a Seebeck effect thermoelectric generator, and method for making such a microstructure

摘要

A method for making a thermoelectric microstructure includes: forming an insulating substrate; forming, on the substrate, a first assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements extending in parallel and in a first direction from first to second connection areas, and having a first Seebeck coefficient; forming, on the substrate, a second assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements electrically insulated from the first assembly and extending in parallel and in a second direction other than the first one, from the first to second connection areas, and having a second Seebeck coefficient other than the first one; providing, in the first and second connection areas, electric connection elements, each of which electrically connects at least one element of first and second assemblies; two conductor or semiconductor elements of a single assembly are separated in a predetermined direction by a predetermined average distance in the connection areas.

主权项

1. A method for making a Seebeck effect thermoelectric microstructure, comprising the following steps:
forming an insulating substrate provided with a first and a second connection area, the insulating substrate having a first face and a second face; forming a first assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements on the first face of the substrate, said elements extending in parallel and in a first direction from the first connection area to the second connection area, and said elements having a first Seebeck coefficient; forming a second assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements electrically insulated from the elements of the first assembly on the second face of the substrate, said elements extending in parallel and in a second direction other than the first direction, from the first connection area to the second connection area, the elements of the second assembly having a second Seebeck coefficient other than the first Seebeck coefficient; and providing electric connection elements in the first and second connection areas of the substrate, said connection elements passing through the substrate to connect the conductor or semiconductor elements on the first face of the substrate with the conductor or semiconductor elements on the second face of the substrate, the dimensions of said connection elements being selected so that each of said connection elements electrically connects a plurality of elements of the first assembly with a plurality of elements of the second assembly, determining a first average of separation distances between respective adjacent pairs of conductor or semiconductor elements in a predetermined direction in the connection areas of the first assembly; determining a second average of separation distances between respective pairs of adjacent conductor or semiconductor elements in the predetermined direction in the connection areas of the second assembly; wherein the average dimension of connection elements in the predetermined direction is greater than the first average and the second average; and wherein a distance between adjacent connection elements in the predetermined direction is less than the first average and the second average.