US 12,342,721 B2
Double-sided thermoelectric devices with insulators
Uttam Ghoshal, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Sheetak, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Sheetak, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/395,409.
Application 18/395,409 is a continuation of application No. 17/769,742, granted, now 11,856,857, previously published as PCT/US2020/056345, filed on Oct. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/030,167, filed on May 26, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/020,528, filed on May 5, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/951,808, filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/916,663, filed on Oct. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0389460 A1, Nov. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. H10N 10/17 (2023.01); H10N 10/01 (2023.01); H10N 10/852 (2023.01); H10N 10/853 (2023.01)
CPC H10N 10/17 (2023.02) [H10N 10/01 (2023.02); H10N 10/852 (2023.02); H10N 10/853 (2023.02)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermoelectric apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a thermoelement base comprising:
a thermally and electrically non-conductive substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a tunnel between the first surface and the second surface, where the tunnel has a first opening in the first surface and a second opening in the second surface;
a first gold layer proximate to the second surface;
a nickel layer adjacent to the first gold layer; and
a second gold layer adjacent to the nickel layer;
a barrier layer disposed within the tunnel proximate to the first surface;
a thermoelectric layer disposed within the tunnel adjacent to the barrier layer, wherein the thermoelectric layer conforms to a shape of the barrier layer, the tunnel, and the second surface;
a metal layer disposed within the tunnel adjacent to the thermoelectric layer, wherein the thermoelectric layer conforms to the shape of the barrier layer, the tunnel, and the second surface; and
a cap layer disposed within the tunnel adjacent to the metal layer and proximate to the second surface.