Abstract: Light emitters and substrates for light emitters are provided to improve light-emitting efficiency and achieve improvement in crystal quality. A light emitter includes a single-crystal substrate, an oriented microcrystal layer, and a light-emitting layer. The light-emitting layer is made of a nitride semiconductor by means of a vapor-phase growth method. In the oriented microcrystal layer, the proportion of crystals, in which one of crystal axes is oriented with respect to the single-crystal substrate, is 5-9 out of 10 crystals. An average diameter of the crystal grains of the respective crystals, contained in the oriented microcrystal layer, is 1-1,000 nm. A light emitter may be equipped with an intermediate layer, a light-emitting layer, and a clad layer. These layers are formed on the oriented microcrystal layer by a vapor-phase growth method. The light-emitting layer contains microcrystal grains whose average grain diameter is 1-1,000 nm.

Abstract: An energy recovery system for hybrid automobile. The energy recovery system generates electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between a high temperature thermal medium and a low temperature thermal medium. As the high temperature thermal medium, engine coolant for cooling an engine is used. As the low temperature thermal medium, pump refrigerant for cooling by a heat pump is used. The heat pump maintains the pump refrigerant at a low temperature by using heat from the engine coolant. Therefore, while electricity is reliably generated at a thermoelectric converter, energy is efficiently used for cooling the pump refrigerant.

Abstract: To also intend the improvement of light-emitting efficiency by microcrystallizing light-emitting layer while utilizing vapor-phase growth method that is advantageous for improving crystal quality, and the like. 4 for forming light-emitting layer comprises a substrate single-crystal substrate 1, and an oriented fine crystal layer 3 being formed on the single-crystal substrate 4. One of the crystal axes of respective crystals, which constitute the oriented microcrystal layer 3, is oriented in a specific direction with respect to the single-crystal substrate 1, and an average of the crystal grain diameters of the respective crystals, which constitute the oriented microcrystal layer 3, is adapted to being 1-1,000 nm.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a high temperature heat source part provided on a first passage through which a first fluid for cooling an engine flows, a low temperature heat source part provided on a second passage through which a second fluid having a temperature lower than that of the first fluid flows, and a thermoelectric element for producing electric power by a temperature difference produced between the high temperature heat source part and the low temperature heat source part. The first passage is included in a first circuit in which the engine and a first radiator for cooling the first fluid are connected in loop through a main passage. Further, the first passage is in parallel to the first radiator in the first circuit. The second passage is included in a second circuit that is separate from the first circuit and includes a second radiator for cooling the second fluid.

Abstract: An energy recovery system for hybrid automobile. The energy recovery system generates electricity by utilizing the temperature difference between a high temperature thermal medium and a low temperature thermal medium. As the high temperature thermal medium, engine coolant for cooling an engine is used. As the low temperature thermal medium, pump refrigerant for cooling by a heat pump is used. The heat pump maintains the pump refrigerant at a low temperature by using heat from the engine coolant. Therefore, while electricity is reliably generated at a thermoelectric converter, energy is efficiently used for cooling the pump refrigerant.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a plurality of hot-side heat source portions, a plurality of cold-side heat source portions, a thermoelectric element, a hot-side communicator and a cold-side communicator. Hot fluid flows in the plurality of hot-side heat source portions, and cold fluid colder than the hot fluid flows in the plurality of cold-side heat source portions. The heat source portions are alternately stacked in such a manner of interposing the thermoelectric element between the hot-side heat source portion and the cold-side heat source portion. The hot-side communicator communicates the hot-side heat source portions, and the cold-side communicator communicates the plurality of cold-side heat source portions. Each of the hot-side communicator and the cold-side communicator has a distance adjuster for adjusting distances between the hot-side heat source portions and the cold-side heat source portions so as to bring them in contact with the thermoelectric elements in the stacking direction thereof.