Patent ID: 6083770
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A thermoelectric piece comprising:a thermoelectric semiconductor of Bi--Sb--Te or Bi--Te--Se, said thermoelectric semiconductor alloy having opposed faces;a Sn-alloy layer disposed on each of said opposed faces of said semiconductor, said Sn-alloy layer comprising Sn as an essential metal element which diffuses mutually with at least one element of said semiconductor to form at least one Sn-alloy selected from a group consisting of Sn--Bi alloy, Sn--Te alloy, Sn--Sb alloy, Sn--Se alloy, Sn--Bi--Te alloy, Sn--Bi--Sb alloy, Sn--Bi--Se alloy, Sn--Te--Se alloy, and Sn--Te--Sb alloy, said Sn-alloy being present in the form of one of a solid solution, an intermetallic compound, and a combination thereof;a diffusion barrier layer disposed on each said Sn-alloy layer, said diffusion barrier layer being made of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Nb and Ni for preventing diffusion of the elements of said thermoelectric semiconductor and a soldering material utilized for electrical connection of said thermoelectric semiconductor to an eternal electric circuit.