Patent ID: 7619158

Claim:
A method of forming a thermoelectric device, comprising: extruding a P/N-type billet to form a P/N-type extrusion; slicing the P/N-type extrusion into a plurality of P/N-type wafers, each having a first plurality of P-type regions and a first plurality of N-type regions; applying diffusion barrier metallization to at least a subset of the P-type regions and N-type regions; attaching one side of at least one P/N-type wafer to a temporary substrate, using a bonding media; coupling the at least one P/N-type wafer to a first plate having a first patterned metallization to form a thermoelectric circuit, wherein the subset of P-type regions and N-type regions are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel; detaching the temporary substrate and bonding media from the at least one P/N-type wafer; and coupling the at least one P/N-type wafer to a second plate having a second patterned metallization.