Thermoelectric element including electrically insulating carrier layer and functional layers useful in semiconductor technology and for thermoelectric thin film generators

摘要

A thermoelectric element comprises: (a) a first layer pile having a first electrically insulating carrier layer and an electrically conducting functional layer on the first carrier layer; (b) a second layer pile on the first one with a second insulating carrier layer and a second electrically conducting functional layer; and (c) an electrically conducting composite layer which couples the two functional layers, the materials forming a thermo-pair. An thermoelectric element comprises: (a) a first layer pile which has a first carrier layer comprising an electrically insulating material and a functional layer on the first carrier layer in an electrically conducting material; (b) a second layer pile on the first layer pile with a second carrier layer in electrically insulating material; and (c) a second functional layer in a second electrically functional material. The first layer pile forms a total layer pile with the second layer pile located on it, with an electrically conducting composite layer on at least one side face of the total layer pile, which couples the first electrically conducing material to the second one The first and second electrically conducting materials are so selected that they together form a thermal pair. An independent claim is included for preparation of elements comprising: (a) preparation of first and second electrically insulating films; (b) application of a first electrically insulating material to the first film to give a first multilayer film; (c) application of a second electrically conducting film to the second electrically insulating film to give a second multilayer film, where the second electrically conducting material is different from the first one and has a high Seebeck coefficient; (d) application of the second multilayer film to the first one to form a layered film; (e) structuring of this film so that a total layer pile is obtained from the film layer; (f) application of an electrically conductive layer to a side face of the total layer pile; and (g) structuring of the electrically conducting layer on this side face so that an electrically conductive composite layer is formed, and so that a thermal pair is formed from the first and second electrically conductive materials by means of the electrically conductive composite layer.