Patent ID: 8455751

Claim:
A thermoelectric power source comprising: a flexible substrate having an upper surface; and a plurality of thermoelectric couples with the plurality thermoelectric couples comprising: (a) a co-sputter deposited thin film p-type thermoelement positioned on the upper surface of the flexible substrate; (b) a co-sputter deposited thin film n-type thermoelement positioned on the upper surface of the flexible substrate adjacent the thin film p-type thermoelement; (c) an electrically conductive member positioned on the flexible substrate, and electrically connecting a first end of the thin film p-type thermoelement with a second end of the thin film n-type thermoelement, wherein the thin film p-type or the thin film n-type thermoelements comprise Bi x Te y , Sb x Te y , and Bi x Se y , wherein x is about 2 and y is about 3; and wherein the thermoelectric couples are formed on a single substrate and the flexible substrate is in a coil configuration or an accordion configuration.