Abstract: This disclosure examines using lead telluride nanocrystals as well as other materials suitable for thermoelectric conversion, particularly materials with high Figure of Merit values, as coatings on flexible substrates. This disclosure also examines using flexible substrates with lead telluride nanocrystal coatings as sensors.

Abstract: A system and method directed to using a PV array and laser beamed-power for aircraft and satellites is provided. More specifically, a system and method directed to a PV receiver that reduces power losses caused by variations in irradiance is provided. The use of a sloped array with a grooved cover glass coated with reflective coating allows the system and method to receive the laser beamed power at an angle and reduce any losses while producing a maximum power output. In addition, the use of capacitors in parallel with the PV cells in the array reduces resistive losses caused by short-term optical fluctuations and assists in maximizing power output for the array.

Abstract: The invention provides for a nanostructure, or an array of such nanostructures, each comprising a rough surface, and a doped or undoped semiconductor. The nanostructure is an one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructure, such a nanowire, or a two-dimensional (2-D) nanostructure. The nanostructure can be placed between two electrodes and used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: The invention is a bulk-processed thermoelectric material and a method for fabrication. The material measures at least 30 microns in each dimension and has a figure of merit (ZT) greater than 1.0 at any temperature less than 200° C. The material comprises at least two constituents; a host phase and a dispersed second phase. The host phase is a semiconductor or semimetal and the dispersed phase of the bulk-processed material is comprised of a plurality of inclusions. The material has a substantially coherent interface between the host phase and the dispersed phase in at least one crystallographic direction.

Abstract: A thermoelectric apparatus includes a first and a second assemblies, at least a first and a second heat conductors. The first assembly includes a first and a second substrates, and several first thermoelectric material sets disposed between the first and second substrates. The first substrate has at least a first through hole. The second assembly includes a third and a fourth substrates, and several second thermoelectric material sets disposed between the third and fourth substrates. The fourth substrate has at least a second through hole. Each of the first and second thermoelectric material sets has a p-type and an n-type thermoelectric element. The first and second heat conductors respectively penetrate the first and second through holes. Two ends of the first heat conductor respectively connect the second and fourth substrates, while two ends of the second heat conductor respectively connect the first and third substrates.

Abstract: The infrared ray absorbing film 2 is provided with a first layer 21 containing TiN and a second layer 22 containing an Si based compound, converting energy of infrared ray made incident from the second layer 22 to heat. TiN is high in absorption rate of infrared ray over a wavelength range shorter than 8 ?m, while high in reflection rate of infrared ray over a wavelength range longer than 8 ?m. Therefore, if an Si based compound layer excellent in absorption rate of infrared ray over a longer wavelength range is laminated on a TiN layer, infrared ray over a wavelength range lower in absorption rate on the TiN layer can be favorably absorbed on the Si based compound layer, and also infrared ray in an attempt to transmit the Si based compound layer can be reflected on a boundary surface of the TiN layer and returned to the Si based compound layer.

Abstract: A method of drawing a glass clad wire is provided herein, the method comprising: (i) sealing off one end of a glass tube such that the tube has an open end and a closed end; (ii) introducing a wire material inside the glass tube; (iii) heating a portion of the glass tube such that the glass partially melts to form a first ampoule containing the wire material to be used in a drawing operation; (iv) introducing the first ampoule containing the wire material into a heating device; (v) increasing the temperature within the heating device such that the glass tube is heated enough for it to be drawn and wire material melts; and (vi) drawing the glass clad wire comprising a continuous wire of wire material, wherein the wire material is a metal, semi-metal, alloy, or semiconductor thermoelectrically active material, and wherein the wire diameter is equal to or smaller than about 5 ?m.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermoelectric material which is represented by the following composition formula (1) or (2) and comprises as a major phase an MgAgAs type crystal structure: (Tia1Zrb1Hfc1)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (1); (Lnd(Tia2Zrb2Hfc2)1-d)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (2); (wherein a1, b1, c1, x and y satisfy the conditions of: 0<a1<1, 0<b1<1, 0<c1<1, a1+b1+c1=1, 30?x?35 and 30?y?35, and Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, and a2, b2, c2 and d satisfy the conditions of: 0?a2?1, 0?b2?1, 0?c2?1, a2+b2+c2=1 and 0<d?0.3).

Abstract: Doped and partially-reduced oxide (e.g., SrTiO3-based) thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric materials can be single-doped or multi-doped (e.g., co-doped) and display a thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.2 or higher at 1050K. Methods of forming the thermoelectric materials involve combining and reacting suitable raw materials and heating them in a graphite environment to at least partially reduce the resulting oxide. Optionally, a reducing agent such as titanium carbide can be incorporated into the starting materials prior to the reducing step in graphite. The reaction product can be sintered to form a dense thermoelectric material.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an array of discrete solar cells with associated devices such as bypass diodes is formed over a single substrate. In one instance, a method of forming a solar-cell array with integrated bypass diodes comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate, a first cell comprising a SiGe p-n junction or SiGe p-i-n junction, one or more second cells each comprising a III-V semiconductor p-n junction or III-V semiconductor p-i-n junction; forming a bypass diode that is discrete and laterally separate from its associated solar cell and comprises an unremoved portion of the first cell, the formation comprising removing an unremoved portion of the one or more second cells thereover.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoelectric device using a bulk material of a nano type, a thermoelectric module having the thermoelectric device and a method of manufacturing thereof. According to the present invention, thin film of a nano thickness is formed on a bulk material formed as several nano types to be re-connected for prohibiting the phonon course.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a substantially phase pure compound including a cation and an anion. The compound is made by mixing in a ball-milling device a first amount of the anion with a first amount of the cation that is less than the stoichiometric amount of the cation, so that substantially all of the first amount of the cation is consumed. The compound is further made by mixing in a ball-milling device a second amount of the cation that is less than the stoichiometric amount of the cation with the mixture remaining in the device. The mixing is continued until substantially all of the second amount of the cation and any unreacted portion of anion X are consumed to afford the substantially phase pure compound.

Abstract: An electrically conductive composite material that includes an electrically conductive polymer, and at least one metal nanoparticle coated with a protective agent, wherein said protective agent includes a compound having a first part that has at least part of the molecular backbone of said electrically conductive polymer and a second part that interacts with said at least one metal nanoparticle.

Abstract: Embodiments of a thin-film heterostructure thermoelectric material and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In general, the thermoelectric material is formed in a Group IIa and IV-VI materials system. The thermoelectric material includes an epitaxial heterostructure and exhibits high heat pumping and figure-of-merit performance in terms of Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity over broad temperature ranges through appropriate engineering and judicious optimization of the epitaxial heterostructure.

Abstract: New methods for improving thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride based materials are described. Constrained deformation, such as by canned/sandwich, or encapsulated, rolling and plane strain channel die compression, particularly at temperatures above 80% of the melting point of the material on an absolute temperature scale, changes the crystallographic texture and grain size to desirably increase the values of both the thermoelectric power factor and the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT for the material.

Abstract: The present invention provides nanowires and nanoribbons that are well suited for use in thermoelectric applications. The nanowires and nanoribbons are characterized by a periodic compositional longitudinal modulation. The nanowires are constructed using lithographic techniques from thin semiconductor membranes, or “nanomembranes.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material of the p-type having the stoichiometric formula Zn4Sb3, wherein part of the Zn atoms optionally being substituted by one or more elements selected from the group comprising Sn, Mg, Pb and the transition metals in a total amount of 20 mol % or less in relation to the Zn atoms is provided by a process involving zone-melting of a an arrangement comprising an interphase between a “stoichiometric” material having the desired composition and a “non-stoichiometric” material having a composition deviating from the desired composition. The thermoelectric materials obtained exhibit excellent figure of merits.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoelectric material and a method of manufacturing it. The thermoelectric material contains a half-Heusler compound including a composition represented by: (Ti1?aAa)1+x(Ni1?bBb)1+y(Sn1?cCc) where 0?a<0.1, 0?b<0.1 and 0?c<0.1; ?0.1?x?0.2 and 0<y?0.2; A is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of group IIIa elements, group IVa elements (excluding Ti), group Va elements and rare earth elements; B is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of group VIIIa elements (excluding Ni) and group Ib elements; and C is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of group IIIb elements, group IVb elements (excluding Sn) and group Vb elements, wherein amounts of Zr substitution and Hf substitution at Ti sites of the half-Heusler compound are less than 1 at %, respectively.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material, and a thermoelectric element and a thermoelectric module including the thermoelectric material are disclosed. The thermoelectric material may have improved thermoelectric properties by irradiating the thermoelectric material with accelerated particles such as protons, neutrons, or ion beams. Thus, the thermoelectric material having excellent thermoelectric properties may be efficiently applied to various thermoelectric elements and thermoelectric modules.

Abstract: A thermoelectric composition comprises a material represented by the general formula (AgaX1?a)1±x(SnbPb1?b)mM?1?yQ2+m wherein X is Na, K, or a combination of Na and K in any proportion; M? is a trivalent element selected from the group consisting of Sb, Bi, lanthanide elements, and combinations thereof; Q is a chalcogenide element selected from the group consisting of S, Te, Se, and combinations thereof; a and b are independently >0 and ?1; x and y are independently >0 and <1; and 2?m?30. The compositions exhibit a figure of merit ZT of up to about 1.4 or higher, and are useful as p-type semiconductors in thermoelectric devices.

Abstract: A heterogeneous laminate including: graphene; and a thermoelectric inorganic compound disposed on the graphene.

Abstract: Provided is a thermoelectric device including two legs having a rough side surface and a smooth side surface facing each other. Phonons may be scattered by the rough side surface, thereby decreasing thermal conductivity of the device. Flowing paths for electrons and phonons may become different form each other, because of a magnetic field induced by an electric current passing through the legs. The smooth side surface may be used for the flowing path of electrons. As a result, in the thermoelectric device, thermal conductivity can be reduced and electric conductivity can be maintained.

Abstract: The thermoelectric structure is formed by a network of wires oriented substantially in a weft direction of the structure. It comprises first and second conducting wires of different kinds, interwoven to form cold and hot junctions distributed respectively in a top plane and a bottom plane. The junctions are alternately cold and hot along any one conducting wire. The thermoelectric structure comprises at least one high dielectric wire in the top plane, and at least one low dielectric wire in the bottom plane. The dielectric wires are interwoven with the first and second conducting wires so as to keep the top and bottom planes at a distance from one another.

Abstract: A thermoelectric module which has at least one thermoelectric element for converting energy between thermal energy and electrical energy. The at least one thermoelectric element has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The thermoelectric module further has a first electrode, the first electrode having at least a first region which is arranged directly on the first surface and a second electrode, the second electrode having at least a second region which is arranged directly on the second surface. At least one of the first region and the second region has a metal alloy which exhibits an Invar effect.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material including a thermoelectric semiconductor; and a nanosheet disposed in the thermoelectric semiconductor, the nanosheet having a layered structure and a thickness from about 0.1 to about 10 nanometers. Also a thermoelectric element and thermoelectric module including the thermoelectric material.

Abstract: A method for forming a thermoelectric element for use in a thermoelectric device comprises forming a mask adjacent to a substrate. The mask can include three-dimensional structures phase-separated in a polymer matrix. The three-dimensional structures can be removed to provide a plurality of holes in the polymer matrix. The plurality of holes can expose portions of the substrate. A layer of a metallic material can be deposited adjacent to the mask and exposed portions of the substrate. The mask can then be removed. The metallic material is then exposed to an oxidizing agent and an etchant to form holes or wires in the substrate.

Abstract: An integrated thermoelectric generator includes a semiconductor. A set of thermocouples are electrically connected in series and thermally connected in parallel. The set of thermocouples include parallel semiconductor regions. Each semiconductor region has one type of conductivity from among two opposite types of conductivity. The semiconductor regions are electrically connected in series so as to form a chain of regions having, alternatingly, one and the other of the two types of conductivity.

Abstract: A Seebeck solar cell device is disclosed, combining both photovoltaic and thermoelectric techniques. The device may be formed using, for example, a conventional photovoltaic cell formed from a doped silicon wafer. The material used to form conductors to the front and rear regions of the cell are chosen for their thermoelectric characteristics, including the sign, or polarity, of their Seebeck coefficients. The distal portion of each conductor is insulated from the solar and waste heat and, in some embodiments, is also coupled to a cooling mechanism. Multiple such devices can be connected in series or parallel.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material is disclosed. The thermoelectric material is represented by the following formula; (A1-aA?a)4-x(B1-bB?b)3-y. A is a Group XIII element and A? may be a Group XIII element, a Group XIV element, a rare earth element, a transition metal, or combinations thereof. A and A? are different from each other. B may be S, Se, Te and B? may be a Groups XIV, XV, XVI or combinations thereof. B and B? are different from each other. a is equal to or larger than 0 and less than 1. b is equal to or larger than 0 and less than 1. x is between ?1 and 1 and wherein y is between ?1 and 1.

Abstract: Thermoelectric eutectic and off-eutectic compositions comprising a minor phase in a thermoelectric matrix phase are provided. These compositions include eutectic and near eutectic compositions where the matrix phase is a chalcogenide (S, Se, Te) of Ge, Sn, or Pb or an appropriate alloy of these compounds and at least one of Ge, Ge1?xSix, Si, ZnTe, and Co are precipitated as the minor phase within the matrix. Methods of making and using the compositions are also provided. The thermoelectric and mechanical properties of the compositions make them well-suited for use in thermoelectric applications. Controlled doping of eutectic compositions and hypereutectic compositions can yield large power factors. By optimizing both the thermal conductivities and power factors of the present compositions, ZT values greater than 1 can be obtained at 700K.

Abstract: The invention provides for a thermoelectric system comprising a substrate comprising a first complex oxide, wherein the substrate is optionally embedded with a second complex oxide. The thermoelectric system can be used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoelectric material useful for a thermoelectric converter having excellent energy conversion efficiency, and a method for producing the thermoelectric material. The thermoelectric material comprising an oxide containing Ti, M, and O and the oxide is represented by Formula (1). Ti1-xMxOy??(1) M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of V, Nb, and Ta, x is not less than 0.05 and not more than 0.5, and y is not less than 1.90 and not more than 2.02.

Abstract: A nitrogen-containing thermoelectric material, which has an element composition represented by: AlzGayInxMuRvOsNt??(A) or AlzGayInxMuRvDwNm??(B) (wherein M represents a transition element; R represents a rare earth element; D represents at least one element selected from elements of the Group IV or II; 0?z?0.7, 0?y?0.7, 0.2?x?1.0, 0?u?0.7, 0?v?0.05, 0.9?s+t?1.7, 0.4?s?1.2, 0?w?0.2 and 0.9?m?1.1; and x+y+z=1), and has an absolute value of a Seebeck coefficient of 40 ?V/K or more at a temperature of 100° C. or more. These thermoelectric materials comprise elements having low toxicity, are excellent in a heat resistance, a chemical resistance and the like, and have a high thermoelectric transforming efficiency.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator assembly includes a thermoelectric generator with hot and cold junction flanges. The hot junction flange includes an adapter shaped for thermally coupling to a process vessel. The thermoelectric generator producing a thermoelectric power output. A heat sink thermally couples to ambient air and has a heat sink flange. A heat pipe assembly includes fluid in a circulation chamber. The circulation chamber has an evaporator flange mounted to the cold junction flange and a condenser flange mounted to the heat sink flange. At least a portion of the fluid transports heat from the evaporator flange to the condenser flange. When a heat pipe assembly on a cold junction flange is used with many of the types of heat flows that are available in process industries, more efficient thermoelectric power generation can be provided in the process industries.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical device that comprises a first and a second fiber having a core of thermoelectric material embedded in an electrically insulating material, and a conductor. The first fiber is doped with a first type of impurity, while the second fiber is doped with a second type of impurity. A conductor is coupled to the first fiber to induce current flow between the first and second fibers.

Abstract: To accelerate a film formation rate in forming a negative electrode active material film by vapor deposition using an evaporation source containing Si as a principal component, and to provide an electrode for lithium batteries which is superior in productivity, and keeps the charge and discharge capacity at high level are contemplated. The method of manufacturing an electrode for lithium batteries of the present invention includes the steps of: providing an evaporation source containing Si and Fe to give a molar ratio of Fe/(Si+Fe) being no less than 0.0005 and no greater than 0.15; and vapor deposition by melting the evaporation source and permitting evaporation to allow for vapor deposition on a collector directly or through an underlying layer. The electrode for lithium batteries of the present invention includes a collector, and a negative electrode active material film which includes SiFeyOx (wherein, 0<x<2, and 0.0001?y/(1+y)?0.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermoelectric material which is represented by the following composition formula (1) or (2) and comprises as a major phase an MgAgAs type crystal structure: (Tia1Zrb1Hfc1)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (1); (Lnd(Tia2Zrb2Hfc2)1-d)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (2); (wherein a1, b1, c1, x and y satisfy the conditions of: 0<a1<1, 0<b1<1, 0<c1<1, a1+b1+c1=1, 30?x?35 and 30?y?35, and Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, and a2, b2, c2 and d satisfy the conditions of: 0?a2?1, 0?b2?1, 0?c2?1, a2+b2+c2=1 and 0<d?0.3).

Abstract: A thermoelectric material includes a multiple transition metal-doped type I clathrate crystal structure having the formula A8TMy11TMy22 . . . TMynnMzX46-y1-y2- . . . -yn-z. In the formula, A is selected from the group consisting of barium, strontium, and europium; X is selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and tin; M is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, and indium; TM1, TM2, and TMn are independently selected from the group consisting of 3d, 4d, and 5d transition metals; and y1, y2, yn and Z are actual compositions of TM1, TM2, TMn, and M, respectively. The actual compositions are based upon nominal compositions derived from the following equation: z=8·qA?|?q1|y1?|?q2|y2? . . . ?|?qn|yn, wherein qA is a charge state of A, and wherein ?q1, ?q2, ?qn are, respectively, the nominal charge state of the first, second, and n-th TM.

Abstract: Practices are described for preparing fine-grain, stress-tolerant, brittle, doped semiconductor thermoelectric elements better suited to withstand thermal and mechanical loads without cracking or fracture. Preparation entails net shape powder processing of substantially isotropic thermoelectric compounds such as skutterudites under conditions which promote reduction of the largest grain sizes in a grain size distribution. Nearly three-fold improvements in fracture strength over conventionally-processed thermoelectric elements are observed. The net shape powder processing is adapted for the ready incorporation of the net shape thermoelectric elements into a thermoelectric device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermoelectric material which is represented by the following composition formula (1) or (2) and comprises as a major phase an MgAgAs type crystal structure: (Tia1Zrb1Hfc1)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (1); (Lnd(Tia2Zrb2Hfc2)1-d)xNiySn100-x-y??composition formula (2); (wherein a1, b1, c1, x and y satisfy the conditions of: 0<a1<1, 0<b1<1, 0<c1<1, a1+b1+c1=1, 30?x?35 and 30?y?35, and Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, and a2, b2, c2 and d satisfy the conditions of: 0?a2?1, 0?b2?1, 0?c2?1, a2+b2+c2=1 and 0<d?0.3).

Abstract: A semiconductor heterostructure thermoelectric device (101). The semiconductor heterostructure thermoelectric device (101) includes at least one thermoelectric heterostructure unit (110). The thermoelectric heterostructure unit (110) includes a first portion (112) composed of a first semiconductor material and a second portion (114) composed of a second semiconductor material that forms a heterojunction (116) with the first portion (112). The first semiconductor material has a first electrical conductivity and a first thermal conductivity; and, the second semiconductor material has a second electrical conductivity and a second thermal conductivity. The second semiconductor material is disposed as at least one sub-micron patch (244d) of the second portion (114). In addition, the second semiconductor material includes an alloy of the first semiconductor material with an alloying constituent.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material comprises core-shell particles having a core formed from a core material and a shell formed from a shell material. In representative examples, the shell material is a material showing an appreciable thermoelectric effect in bulk. The core material preferably has a lower thermal conductivity than the shell material. In representative examples, the core material is an inorganic oxide such as silica or alumina, and the shell material is a chalcogenide semiconductor such as a telluride, for example bismuth telluride. A thermoelectric material including such core-shell particles may have an improved thermoelectric figure of merit compared with a bulk sample of the shell material alone. Embodiments of the invention further include thermoelectric devices using such thermoelectric materials, and preparation techniques.

Abstract: New thermoelectric materials comprise highly [111]-oriented twinned group IV alloys on the basal plane of trigonal substrates, which exhibit a high thermoelectric figure of merit and good material performance, and devices made with these materials.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device includes a nanocomposite material with nanowires of at least one thermoelectric material having a predetermined figure of merit, the nanowires being formed in a porous substrate having a low thermal conductivity and having an average pore diameter ranging from about 4 nm to about 300 nm.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material including a compound represented by Formula 1 below: (R1-aR?a)(T1-bT?b)3±y??Formula 1 wherein R and R? are different from each other, and each includes at least one element selected from a rare-earth element and a transition metal, T and T? are different from each other, and each includes at least one element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), and indium (In), 0?a?1, 0?b?1, and 0?y<1.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device includes: a first region; a second region; and a thermoelectric body disposed between the first region and the second region, where the thermoelectric body includes a vacancy.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material of the p-type having the stoichiometric formula Zn4Sb3, wherein part of the Zn atoms optionally being substituted by one or more elements selected from the group comprising Sn, Mg, Pb and the transition metals in a total amount of 20 mol % or less in relation to the Zn atoms is provided by a process involving zone-melting of a an arrangement comprising an interphase between a “stoichiometric” material having the desired composition and a “non-stoichiometric” material having a composition deviating from the desired composition. The thermoelectric materials obtained exhibit excellent figure of merits.

Abstract: The thermoelectric device of the present invention includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are disposed to be opposed to each other, and a laminate that is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, is connected electrically to both the first electrode and the second electrode, and is layered in the direction orthogonal to an electromotive-force extracting direction, which is the direction in which the first electrode and the second electrode are opposed to each other.

Abstract: A thermoelectric segment and a method for fabricating. The fabricating includes forming structures by depositing thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers on substrates and depositing metal layers on the multilayers, joining metal bonding layers to form dual structures with combined bonding layers; and removing at least one of the substrates; and using the dual structure to form a thermoelectric segments. The method can include dicing the dual structures before or after removing the substrates. The method can include depositing additional bonding layers and joining dual structures to make thermoelectric segments of different thicknesses. Each multilayer can be about 5-10 ?m thick. Each bonding layer can be about 1-2 ?m thick. The bonding layers can be made of a material having high thermal and electrical conductivity. The multilayers can be (Hf,Zr,Ti,W)N/(Sc,Y,La,Ga,In,Al)N superlattice layers. Metal nitride layers can be deposited between each of the bonding layers and multilayers.

Abstract: A thermoelectric element formed of a sintered body of a semiconductor comprising at least two kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of Bi, Te, Se and Sb, and having a micro-Vickers' hardness of not smaller than 0.5 GPa. The thermoelectric element has a hardness of not smaller than 0.5 GPa, and exhibits a large resistance against deformation, and is not easily broken by deformation. As a result, breakage due to deformation is prevented and a highly reliable thermoelectric element is realized even when a shape factor which is a ratio of the sectional area of the thermoelectric element to the height thereof, is increased and even when the element density is increased.