US 12,250,885 B2
Thermoelectric conversion element, method for manufacturing the same, and thermoelectric conversion device
Satoki Tada, Kiryu (JP); and Yukihiro Isoda, Tsukuba (JP)
Assigned to Mitsuba Corporation, Gunma (JP); and National Institute for Materials Science, Ibaraki (JP)
Appl. No. 17/769,352
Filed by Mitsuba Corporation, Kiryu (JP); and National Institute for Materials Science, Ibaraki (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/034386
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/079644, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-194228 (JP), filed on Oct. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0147859 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. H10N 10/853 (2023.01); C22C 21/02 (2006.01); C22C 21/08 (2006.01); H10N 10/01 (2023.01); H10N 10/17 (2023.01); H10N 10/817 (2023.01); H10N 10/851 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 10/853 (2023.02) [C22C 21/02 (2013.01); C22C 21/08 (2013.01); H10N 10/01 (2023.02); H10N 10/17 (2023.02); H10N 10/817 (2023.02); H10N 10/8556 (2023.02)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermoelectric conversion element, comprising:
an n-type semiconductor;
a p-type semiconductor;
an n-side junction layer formed on each of a first surface and a second surface of the n-type semiconductor;
a p-side junction layer formed on each of a first surface and a second surface of the p-type semiconductor;
a first electrode which has one side joined to the first surface of the n-type semiconductor via the n-side junction layer, and the other side joined to the first surface of the p-type semiconductor via the p-side junction layer; and
a second electrode which is joined to each of the second surface of the n-type semiconductor and the second surface of the p-type semiconductor via the n-side junction layer and the p-side junction layer,
wherein the n-type semiconductor has a composition represented by the following formula (1),
the p-type semiconductor has a composition represented by the following formula (2), and
the n-side junction layer and the p-side junction layer include Al:
Mg2SiaSn1-a+A  (1)
(provided that 0.25≤a<0.75, and A includes at least one of Sb, Bi, and Fe)
MgmSixSnyGez+B  (2)
(provided that 1.98≤m≤2.01, 0<x≤0.25, 0.60≤y≤0.95, z≥0, x+y+z=1, and −1.00x+0.40≥z≥−2.00x+0.10 (0.00<x≤0.25), −1.00y+1.00≥z≥−1.00y+0.75 (0.60≤y≤0.90), −2.00y+1.90≥z≥−1.00y+0.75 (0.90<y≤0.95), and B includes at least one of Group 1A alkali metals, Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, Ca, and Ga), and wherein
the first electrode and the second electrode include Ni as a main component,
the n-side junction layer has an AlNi layer and an Al3Ni2 layer in this order from the first electrode side or the second electrode side, and
the p-side junction layer has a Ni3Sn2 layer, an AlNi layer, and an Al3Ni2 layer in this order from the first electrode side or the second electrode side.