Thermoelectric conversion module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496476-B2
Application number	US-201414418654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2014
Priority date	Jun 11, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A thermoelectric conversion module includes p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements arranged between two stacked substrates. The p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements include columnar p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, insulators provided in side surfaces of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and diffusion preventing films provided on top surface, the top surface different from the side surface of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions. Each stacked substrate includes an interconnecting layer that electrically connects the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions through the diffusion preventing films, and a jointing material that joins the diffusion preventing films and the interconnecting layer. Top surfaces of the diffusion preventing films are projected from upper and lower top surfaces of each insulator in a direction connecting the upper and lower top surfaces of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and gap is provided on each insulator in the direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thermoelectric conversion module comprising one or more p-type thermoelectric conversion elements and one or more n-type thermoelectric conversion elements, the one or more p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion elements being between a first stacked substrate and a second stacked substrate, wherein
each p-type thermoelectric conversion element includes:
a columnar p-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface;
an insulator provided on the side surface of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a side surface facing the side surface of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, and the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a top surface and a bottom surface that are different from the side surface of the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion;
diffusion preventing films provided on the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively, of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, wherein a top surface of the diffusion preventing film that is on the top surface of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion projects above the top surface of the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, and a bottom surface of the diffusion preventing film that is on the bottom surface of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion projects below the bottom surface of the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion;
a first gap directly above the top surface of the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the first gap being directly sandwiched between the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the first stacked substrate; and
a second gap directly below the bottom surface of the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the second gap being directly sandwiched between the insulator of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the second stacked substrate,

each n-type thermoelectric conversion element includes:
a columnar n-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface;
an insulator provided on the side surface of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a side surface facing the side surface of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, and the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion having a top surface and a bottom surface that are different from the side surface of the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion;
diffusion preventing films provided on the top surface and the bottom surface, respectively, of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, wherein a top surface of the diffusion preventing film that is on the top surface of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion projects above the top surface of the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, and a bottom surface of the diffusion preventing film that is on the bottom surface of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion projects below the bottom surface of the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion,
a third gap directly above the top surface of the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the third gap being directly sandwiched between the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the first stacked substrate; and
a fourth gap directly below the bottom surface of the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion, the fourth gap being directly sandwiched between the insulator of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the second stacked substrate,

each of the first and second stacked substrates includes:
an interconnecting layer that electrically connects the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion through the diffusion preventing films; and
a jointing material that joins the diffusion preventing films and the interconnecting layer,

each of the first and second stacked substrates further includes an interlayer insulating film provided between the diffusion preventing films and the interconnecting layer,
the interlayer insulating film has opening portions located on the diffusion preventing films,
the first gap is directly sandwiched between the insulator of the of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the interlayer insulating film of the first stacked substrate,
the second gap is directly sandwiched between the insulator of the of the p-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the interlayer insulating film of the second stacked substrate,
the third gap is directly sandwiched between the insulator of the of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the interlayer insulating film of the first stacked substrate, and
the fourth gap is directly sandwiched between the insulator of the of the n-type thermoelectric conversion portion and the interlayer insulating film of the second stacked substrate.

2. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
a sectional area of each of the diffusion preventing films in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side surfaces of the p-type and n-type conversion portions is larger than a sectional area of each of the opening portions in said direction, and
a sectional area of each of the top surfaces of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions in said direction is larger than the sectional area of each of the diffusion preventing films in said direction.

3. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first and second stacked substrates further includes a conductive ring that surrounds a side surface of the respective jointing material.

4. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first and second stacked substrates further includes ring-shaped holes each penetrating the respective interlayer insulating film so as to surround a circumference of each of the opening portions.

5. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 4 , wherein
a total area of sectional areas of the holes is 50% or less of a sectional area of the interlayer insulating film.

6. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
surface roughness of the interlayer insulating film is larger than surface roughness of the insulators.

7. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 6 , wherein a difference between the surface roughness of the interlayer insulating film and the surface roughness of the insulators is 80 μm or more.

8. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions contain a Bi—Te based material,
the insulators contain heat-resistant glass or quartz, and
the interlayer insulating film contains an imide compound or acrylic resin.

9. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
each shape of cross sections of the diffusion preventing films, the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and the opening portions is circular, and
an outer diameter dimension of the diffusion preventing films is smaller than an outer diameter dimension of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion portions, and an inner dimension of the opening portions is smaller than the outer diameter dimension of the diffusion preventing films.

10. The thermoelectric conversion module according to claim 1 , wherein
the top surface of the p-type thermoel

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Maeshima Satoshi
• Toyoda Kaori
• Higashida Takaaki
• Kurumaya Kazunori

Classifications

• H01L35/32 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/16

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/08

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L35/30

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10N10/13

  characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction · CPC title