Patent ID: 9627601
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: H01L

Claim:
1. A thermoelectric element, comprising: a layer package formed by a first thermoelectric layer and a second thermoelectric layer configured to form a p-n junction, wherein the first thermoelectric layer consists of an n-conductive thermoelectric material and the second thermoelectric layer consists of a p-conductive thermoelectric material, or the first thermoelectric layer consists of a p-conductive thermoelectric material and the second thermoelectric layer consists of an n-conductive thermoelectric material; and a substrate having a hot side and a cold side with contact surfaces, a first contact surface and a second contact surface of the contact surfaces arranged on the cold side and a third contact surface of the contact surfaces arranged on the hot side, the substrate configured so that a temperature gradient can be applied across a space between the third contact surface of the hot side and the first contact surface and the second contact surface on the cold side, the first thermoelectric layer being disposed on the substrate and connecting the second contact surface to the third contact surface, the second thermoelectric layer being disposed on the first thermoelectric layer to form the p-n junction and being connected to the first contact surface, wherein the temperature gradient is applied to the p-n junction, and in the area of the p-n junction, the substrate, the first thermoelectric layer, the p-n junction, and the second thermoelectric layer form a laminate with the first thermoelectric layer disposed between the substrate and the p-n junction, and the p-n junction disposed between the first thermoelectric layer and the second thermoelectric layer, the first contact surface and the second contact surface on the cold side of the substrate respectively makes selective contact with the second thermoelectric layer and the first thermoelectric layer, so that a contact section of the first thermoelectric layer is disposed on the second contact surface and a contact section of the second thermoelectric layer is disposed on the first contact surface, and the contact section of the second thermoelectric layer extends over the p-n junction, the contact section of the first thermoelectric layer overlaps only a partial area of the second contact surface and the contact section of the second thermoelectric layer overlaps only a partial area of the first contact surface, and the p-n junction extends in the direction of the temperature gradient from a contact section overlapping the third contact surface into the space between the third contact surface on the hot side and the first contact surface and the second contact surface on the cold side.