Development of film-shaped thermoelectric materials for thermoelectric modules

Film-shaped thermoelectric materials have been prepared for thermoelectric modules for cooling or electricity generation. Flash evaporation and casting are adopted for preparing film-shaped p-, n-type (Bi,Sb)2(Te,Se)3 materials. The chemical characteristics and the thermoelectric properties of these samples have been investigated. By controlling the preparation temperature or selecting the impurities, film-shaped thermoelectric materials, comparable in properties with bulk-shaped sintered materials, are obtained. The thermoelectric power factor of the n-type (6–7 μm) film sample, prepared by the flash evaporation method, is 30 μW cm−1K2. In addition, that of the p-type (0.5–0.7 μm) film sample , prepared by the casting method with added impurities, is 40 μW cm−1K2.