These production methods, and a thermoelectric module using thermoelectric semiconductor elements thermoelectric semiconductor material, with the thermoelectric semiconductor material, the thermoelectric semiconductor element

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve crystal orientation and make a thermoelectric performance index high.;SOLUTION: In a component adjustment step I, a metal mixture wherein an excessive Te is added to a (Bi-Sb)₂Te₃-based composition is adjusted. In an annealed foil manufacturing step II, after the metal mixture is melted, it is coagulated at a thickness of 30 m or more on the surface of a cooling roll at a peripheral speed of 5 m/sec or less, and a plate-like thermoelectric semiconductor material 10 is manufactured wherein a Te rich phase is dispersed in a refined manner in a composite compound semiconductor phase and the extending directions of C planes of almost crystal grains are oriented. In a solidification molding step III, the thermoelectric semiconductor materials 10 are stacked in a direction of thickness, and after a molding 12 is formed by solidification and molding, the molding 12 is subject to plastic deformation in a plastic deformation step IV in a manner that a shear force may be given in a uniaxial direction nearly parallel to the main lamination direction of the thermoelectric semiconductor material 10, thereby manufacturing a thermoelectric semiconductor material 17 having a crystal orientation wherein the extending direction of the C plane with hexagonal structure of the crystal grains is almost matched with a C-axis direction.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI