THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL, THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE, MANUFACTURE OF THEM, AND MANUFACTURING APPARATUS OF THE THERMOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermoelectric semiconductor material that has sufficient strength and performance and is high in manufacturing yield. SOLUTION: Shear force is applied separately to a thermoelectric semiconductor material as it is kept vertical to a compressive force and the direction of compression, whereby a C plane as the base plane of a crystal (hexagonal crystal structure) is oriented strongly in a direction vertical to the direction of compression, and the thermoelectric semiconductor material is averaged finely in crystal grain diameter and increased in density. Furthermore, crystal grain powder improved in orientation is sintered by heating. With this setup, crystal grain powder is improved in crystal orientation so as to align cleavage planes in the direction vertical to the direction of compression, and a thermoelectric semiconductor material is improved in thermoelectric performance in a direction vertical to a direction, in which a compressive force is applied.