| CPC H10N 10/857 (2023.02) [H10N 10/17 (2023.02); H10N 10/85 (2023.02)] | 14 Claims |
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1. A thermoelectric conversion element, comprising:
a p-type thermoelectric converter;
an n-type thermoelectric converter;
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
a third electrode,
wherein a first end of the p-type thermoelectric converter is electrically connected to a first end of the n-type thermoelectric converter through the first electrode,
wherein a second end of the p-type thermoelectric converter is electrically connected to the second electrode,
wherein a second end of the n-type thermoelectric converter is electrically connected to the third electrode,
wherein the p-type thermoelectric converter includes a first phononic crystal layer having a first phononic crystal structure including a plurality of regularly arranged first through holes,
wherein the n-type thermoelectric converter includes a second phononic crystal layer having a second phononic crystal structure including a plurality of regularly arranged second through holes,
wherein a through direction of the plurality of first through holes in the first phononic crystal structure is a direction extending between the first end of the p-type thermoelectric converter and the second end thereof,
wherein a through direction of the plurality of second through holes in the second phononic crystal structure is a direction extending between the first end of the n-type thermoelectric converter and the second end thereof,
wherein the p-type thermoelectric converter further includes a third phononic crystal layer having a third phononic crystal structure including a plurality of regularly arranged third through holes,
wherein the n-type thermoelectric converter further includes a fourth phononic crystal layer having a fourth phononic crystal structure including a plurality of regularly arranged fourth through holes,
wherein the first phononic crystal layer and the third phononic crystal layer are stacked in the direction extending between the first end of the p-type thermoelectric converter and the second end thereof,
wherein the second phononic crystal layer and the fourth phononic crystal layer are stacked in the direction extending between the first end of the n-type thermoelectric converter and the second end thereof,
wherein the through direction of the plurality of first through holes in the first phononic crystal structure is substantially parallel to a through direction of the plurality of third through holes in the third phononic crystal structure,
wherein the through direction of the plurality of second through holes in the second phononic crystal structure is substantially parallel to a through direction of the plurality of fourth through holes in the fourth phononic crystal structure, and
wherein at least one requirement selected from the group consisting of the following requirements (I) to (III) is satisfied:
(I) a period of an arrangement of the first through holes differs from a period of an arrangement of the third through holes,
(II) a diameter of the first through holes differs from a diameter of the third through holes, and
(III) a type of a unit cell including the first through holes differs from a type of a unit cell including the third through holes.
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