Thermoelectric conversion element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532663-B2
Application number	US-202318105546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2023
Priority date	Feb 18, 2022
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Provided is a thermoelectric conversion element having a high Anomalous Nernst Effect at a lower cost. A thermoelectric conversion element ( 1 ) includes a magnetic alloy material containing aluminum, cobalt, and samarium, and a power generation layer ( 10 ), in which in the power generation layer ( 10 ), a content of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 1 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, a content of samarium in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 12 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, and a content of cobalt in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 57 atomic percent to 82 atomic percent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A thermoelectric conversion element comprising:
a magnetic alloy material containing aluminum, cobalt, and samarium; and a thermoelectric conversion layer, wherein in the thermoelectric conversion layer:
a content of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 1 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent,
a content of samarium in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 12 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent, and
a content of cobalt in the magnetic alloy material is in a range of 57 atomic percent to 82 atomic percent.

2 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein when a temperature gradient is applied, the thermoelectric conversion layer generates an electromotive force in a direction substantially perpendicular to each of a magnetization direction of the magnetic alloy material and a direction of the applied temperature gradient.

3 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric conversion layer includes two facing main surfaces, and when the magnetic alloy material is magnetized in an in-plane direction of the main surface and a temperature gradient is applied in an out-of-plane direction of the main surface, generates an electromotive force in a direction substantially perpendicular to each of a magnetization direction of the magnetic alloy material and a direction of the applied temperature gradient.

4 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein when a charge current flows, the thermoelectric conversion layer generates a temperature gradient in a direction substantially perpendicular to each of a magnetization direction of the magnetic alloy material and a direction of the flowing charge current.

5 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric conversion layer includes two facing main surfaces, and when the magnetic alloy material is magnetized in an in-plane direction of the main surface and a charge current flows in an in-plane direction substantially perpendicular to a magnetization direction in the main surface, generates a temperature gradient in a direction substantially perpendicular to each of a magnetization direction of the magnetic alloy material and a direction of the flowing charge current.

6 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein a composition ratio of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is equal to or more than 15 atomic percent and less than 35 atomic percent, a composition ratio of samarium is equal to or more than 15 atomic percent and less than 25 atomic percent, and a composition ratio of cobalt is equal to or more than 57 atomic percent and less than 65 atomic percent.

7 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein a composition ratio of aluminum in the magnetic alloy material is equal to or more than 1 atomic percent and less than 10 atomic percent, a composition ratio of samarium is equal to or more than 25 atomic percent and less than 40 atomic percent, and a composition ratio of cobalt is equal to or more than 55 atomic percent and less than 70 atomic percent.

8 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric conversion layer comprises:
a first magnetic layer comprising the magnetic alloy material, and a second magnetic layer that exhibits the Spin Seebeck Effect by application of a temperature gradient.

9 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 8 , wherein a thickness of the first magnetic layer is equal to or less than 100 nanometers.

10 . The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric conversion layer includes
a magnetic network comprising the magnetic alloy material, and magnetic particles dispersed inside the magnetic network and exhibiting the Spin Seebeck Effect by application of a temperature gradient.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Ishida Masahiko
• OMORI Yasutomo
• Kirihara Akihiro
• Someya Hiroko

Classifications

• C22C19/007

  with a light metal (alkali metal Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs; earth alkali metal Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al Ga, Ge, Ti) or B, Si, Zr, Hf, Sc, Y, lanthanides, actinides, as the next major constituent · CPC title

• C22C28/00

  Alloys based on a metal not provided for in groups C22C5/00 - C22C27/00 · CPC title

• C22C2202/02

  Magnetic · CPC title

• C22C19/07 Primary

  based on cobalt · CPC title

• H10N15/00

  Thermoelectric devices without a junction of dissimilar materials; Thermomagnetic devices, e.g. using the Nernst-Ettingshausen effect (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00) · CPC title