Patent ID: 8193439

Claim:
A method for making thermoelectric modules, the method comprising: coupling a first wafer and a second wafer together using a bonding agent, the first and second wafers being formed from the same N-type or P-type material; processing the first and second wafers to produce a first thermoelectric element from the first wafer and a second thermoelectric element from the second wafer, the first thermoelectric element and the second thermoelectric element being coupled together by the bonding agent such that the first and second thermoelectric elements are formed from the same N-type or P-type material and thereby define at least one pair of coupled N-type or P-type thermoelectric elements; coupling the first thermoelectric element to a first conductor; coupling the second thermoelectric element to a second conductor; separating the first thermoelectric element and the second thermoelectric element while maintaining the coupling between the first thermoelectric element and the first conductor and while maintaining the coupling between the second thermoelectric element and the second conductor; coupling the first thermoelectric element to a third conductor whereby the first thermoelectric element, the first conductor, and the third conductor form at least part of a thermoelectric module; and coupling the second thermoelectric element to a fourth conductor whereby the second thermoelectric element, the second conductor, and the fourth conductor form at least part of another thermoelectric module.