Thermoelectric element and cooling or heating device provided with the same

摘要

PCT No. PCT/JP96/02145 Sec. 371 Date May 21, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date May 21, 1997 PCT Filed Jul. 30, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/13284 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 10, 1997A thermoelectric chip unit (1) comprises equal numbers of n-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements (30n) and p-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements (30p) that are held embedded within a single chip substrate (2). It is therefore difficult for the crystals of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements (30) to split at the cleavage surfaces thereof. The thermoelectric chip unit (1) can be made to be flexible by forming the chip substrate (2) of a flexible insulator such as plastic or rubber. A thermoelectric unit (4) comprises this thermoelectric chip unit (1) to which are attached electrodes (5). The thermoelectric unit (4) can be made to be flexible by forming the electrodes (5) of flexible members such as thin copper plates. A thermoelectric module (6) comprises the thermoelectric unit (4) to which is attached a flexible sheet or cover (8). This thermoelectric module (6) can be used as a cooling device for a computer's CPU or a semiconductor laser, or in an insulated refrigerator.