Patent ID: 7649139

Claim:
A thermoelectric element comprising: a thin film of p-type thermoelectric material, a thin film of n-type thermoelectric material, and the thin film of p-type thermoelectric material and the thin film of n-type thermoelectric material being formed on the electrically insulating substrate and being electrically connected, (i) the p-type thermoelectric material comprising at least one complex oxide selected from the group consisting of: complex oxides represented by Formula Bi f Pb g M h 1 CO i M j 2 O k , wherein M 1 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Li, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, Y, and lanthanoids; M 2 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Ag, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta; 1.8≦f≦2.20≦g≦0.4; 1.8≦h≦2.2; 1.6≦i≦2.2; 0≦j≦0.5;and 8≦k≦10; and (ii) the n-type thermoelectric material comprising at least one complex oxide selected from the group consisting of: complex oxides represented by the Formula Ln x R y 5 Ni p R q′ 6 O r′ , wherein Ln is lanthanoid; R 5 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Sr, Ca, Bi, and Nd; R 6 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, and Cu 0.5≦x≦1.2; 0≦y≦0.5; 0.5≦p≦1.2; 0.01≦q′≦0.5; and 2.8≦r′≦3.2 .