Patent ID: 6743973
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: C22C,C22F,H01L

Abstract:
A thermoelectric material composed of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Bi and Sb and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Te and Se, and comprising crystal grains having respective [001] directions and an average grain size equal to or less than 30 microns, certain crystal grains having the [001] directions crossing a direction in which an electric current flows at 45 degrees or less, said certain crystal grains occupying an area equal to or less than 10% on a section perpendicular to said direction, said thermoelectric material having a density equal to or greater than 98% with respect to the density of Bi2Te3 said thermoelectric material having crystal grains with (001) crystal planes substantially parallel to said direction at a certain ratio, said grain size and said density so as to render the figure of merit equal to or greater than 3.0Ã—10âˆ’3/K.