A thermoelectric conversion element that has a clue in a space part or a bridged space part that reduces the amount of heat transfer to the thermoelectric material and the working substance flow is more than the original thermoelectric material

摘要

One or more space portions or thin wire structures are provided to prevent the transfer of heat flow or current through the ends of the thermoelectric material and the electrodes or portions, thereby improving the figure of merit of the thermoelectric material without them. By providing a space portion in the thermoelectric material or a fine structure instead, the thermal conductivity other than the working substance that can move in the thermoelectric conversion element can be minimized. If the surface of the thermoelectric material or the surface facing the thermoelectric material is modified, or if a steeple is applied to the surface, the height of the thermal excitation barrier or the tunnel barrier width when the working substance jumps out of the tip of the steeple into the space is reduced. enable. By reducing the amount of thermoelectricity due to the direct grid between both end faces sandwiching the space part without changing the amount of current due to the working substance, the figure of merit of the thermoelectric conversion element including the space part connected to the thermoelectric material or the space part is spatial It can be larger than the figure of merit of a conventional thermoelectric material that does not include a portion.