Abstract: A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

Abstract: A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

Abstract: A method includes etching and patterning a metal cladding of a metal clad laminate to form electrically conductive pads, leads and terminals therewith across a surface of the metal clad laminate, and sputter depositing pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on top of the formed electrically conductive pads across the surface of the metal clad laminate. The method also includes depositing conductive interconnects on top of the pairs of the N-type thermoelectric legs and the P-type thermoelectric legs to connect all of the pairs of the N-type thermoelectric legs and the P-type thermoelectric legs to one another to form the thermoelectric module, and utilizing a temperature gradient perpendicular to a plane of the surface of the metal clad laminate of the formed thermoelectric module to derive thermoelectric power from a system element.

Abstract: A method includes etching and patterning a metal cladding of a metal clad laminate to form electrically conductive pads, leads and terminals therewith across a surface of the metal clad laminate, and sputter depositing pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on top of the formed electrically conductive pads across the surface of the metal clad laminate. The method also includes depositing conductive interconnects directly on top of a barrier metal layer above the pairs of the N-type thermoelectric legs and the P-type thermoelectric legs to connect all of the pairs of the N-type thermoelectric legs and the P-type thermoelectric legs to one another to form the thermoelectric module, and utilizing a temperature gradient perpendicular to a plane of the surface of the metal clad laminate of the formed thermoelectric module to derive thermoelectric power from a system element.

Abstract: A thin-film based thermoelectric module includes a flexible substrate having a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m, and a number of pairs of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on the flexible substrate. The thin-film based thermoelectric module also includes a number of conductive interconnects on top of the number of pairs of the N-type and the P-type thermoelectric legs, and an elastomer encapsulating the flexible substrate, the number of pairs of the N-type and the P-type thermoelectric legs and the number of conductive interconnects to render flexibility to the thin-film based thermoelectric module such that an array of equivalent thin-film based thermoelectric modules is completely wrappable and bendable around a system element from which the array is configured to derive thermoelectric power. The thin-film based thermoelectric module is less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness.

Abstract: An energy box includes a container, and an electric power generation device housed therewithin. The electric power generation device includes a number of thin-film based thermoelectric modules, each of which is less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness and includes pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on a flexible substrate, a number of hot plates, and a number of cold plates. The each thin-film based thermoelectric module further includes a first surface and a second surface in surface contact with a hot plate and a cold plate respectively to form the electric power generation device. The energy box is configured to generate electric power at utility scale through the electric power generation device based on a temperature difference maintained between the first surface and the second surface of the each thin-film based thermoelectric module.

Abstract: A method includes sputter depositing pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on each of a number of flexible substrates to form a number of thin-film based thermoelectric modules. The method also include placing a first surface and a second surface of the each of the formed number of thin-film based thermoelectric modules in surface contact with a hot plate and a cold plate respectively to form an electric power generation device, and deriving electric power from the electric power generation device based on maintaining a temperature difference between the first surface and the second surface of the each of the formed number of thin-film based thermoelectric modules based on the surface contact thereof with the hot plate and the cold plate respectively.

Abstract: A method includes sputter depositing a first cluster and a second cluster of pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on a flexible substrate. The flexible substrate has a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m. Within the first cluster and the second cluster, the pairs are electrically connected to one another in series or parallel. The method also includes electrically connecting the sputter deposited first cluster and the sputter deposited second cluster also in series or parallel across the flexible substrate to form a thin-film based thermoelectric module, and rendering the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module flexible and less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness based on choices of fabrication processes with respect to layers of the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module including the sputter deposited first cluster and the sputter deposited second cluster.

Abstract: A thin-film based thermoelectric module includes a flexible substrate having a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m, and a number of pairs of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on the flexible substrate. The thin-film based thermoelectric module also includes a number of conductive interconnects on top of the number of pairs of the N-type and the P-type thermoelectric legs, and an elastomer encapsulating the flexible substrate, the number of pairs of the N-type and the P-type thermoelectric legs and the number of conductive interconnects to render flexibility to the thin-film based thermoelectric module such that an array of equivalent thin-film based thermoelectric modules is completely wrappable and bendable around a system element from which the array is configured to derive thermoelectric power. The thin-film based thermoelectric module is less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness.

Abstract: A thermoelectric element based watch includes a first thermally conductive element configured to serve as a hot end, a thin-film thermoelectric layer of dimensional thickness less than or equal to 100 ?m including a number of sets of thermoelectric legs formed on a substrate, and a second thermally conductive element attached to a body case thereof configured to serve as a cold end. The thermoelectric element based watch also includes a number of metallic pins directly contacting both the second thermally conductive element and one or more set(s) of the number of sets of the thermoelectric legs of the thin-film thermoelectric layer. Based on the contact of the number of metallic pins with both the second thermally conductive element and the one or more set(s), the thermoelectric element based watch is configured to be powered in accordance with a temperature difference between the hot end and the cold end thereof.

Abstract: A thin-film based thermoelectric module includes a flexible substrate, a number of electrically conductive pads disposed on the flexible substrate, and a number of pairs of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another formed on corresponding electrically conductive pads of the number of electrically conductive pads such that an area of each N-type thermoelectric leg and another area of each P-type thermoelectric leg are each more than an area of the corresponding electrically conductive pad to allow for extension thereof outside the corresponding electrically conductive pad. The flexible substrate is aluminum (Al) foil, a sheet of paper, teflon, plastic, a single-sided copper (Cu) clad laminate sheet, or a double-sided Cu clad laminate sheet, and has a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m. The thin-film based thermoelectric module is less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device includes a flexible first substrate, and a number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs coupled to the first substrate. Each set includes an N and a P thermoelectric leg electrically contacting each other through a conductive material on the first substrate. The thermoelectric device also includes a rigid second substrate, a conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and a number of pins corresponding to the number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs. Each pin couples the each set on an end thereof away from the first substrate to the conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and is several times longer than a height of the N and P thermoelectric legs.

Abstract: A method of encapsulating a thin-film based thermoelectric module includes forming the thin-film based thermoelectric module by sputter depositing pairs of N-type thermoelectric legs and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on a flexible substrate having a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m, and rendering the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module flexible and less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness based on choices of fabrication processes with respect to layers of the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module. The method also includes encapsulating the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module with an elastomer to render the flexibility thereto. The elastomer encapsulation has a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 15 ?m, and the flexibility enables an array of thin-film based thermoelectric modules to be completely wrappable and bendable around a system element from which the array is configured to derive thermoelectric power.

Abstract: A hybrid solar-thermoelectric device includes a solar device and a thermoelectric device coupled thereto. The thermoelectric device includes a flexible first substrate, and a number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs coupled to the first substrate. Each set includes an N and a P thermoelectric leg electrically contacting each other through a conductive material on the first substrate. The thermoelectric device also includes a rigid second substrate, a conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and a number of pins corresponding to the number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs. Each pin couples the each set on an end thereof away from the first substrate to the conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and is several times longer than a height of the N and P thermoelectric legs.

Abstract: A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

Abstract: A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

Abstract: A thin-film based thermoelectric module includes a flexible substrate, a number of electrically conductive pads disposed on the flexible substrate, and a number of pairs of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another formed on corresponding electrically conductive pads of the number of electrically conductive pads such that an area of each N-type thermoelectric leg and another area of each P-type thermoelectric leg are each more than an area of the corresponding electrically conductive pad to allow for extension thereof outside the corresponding electrically conductive pad. The flexible substrate is aluminum (Al) foil, a sheet of paper, teflon, plastic, a single-sided copper (Cu) clad laminate sheet, or a double-sided Cu clad laminate sheet, and has a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m. The thin-film based thermoelectric module is less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness.

Abstract: A method and/or apparatus of energy harvesting for wearable technology through a thin flexible thermoelectric device is disclosed. A lower conduction layer is formed on top of a lower dielectric layer. An active layer, comprising at least one thin film thermoelectric conduit and a thermal insulator, is formed above the lower conduction layer. An internal dielectric layer is formed above the active layer, and contact holes are drilled above each thermoelectric conduit. An upper conduction layer and upper dielectric layer are formed, connecting the thermoelectric conduits in series. The resulting flexible thermoelectric device generates a voltage when exposed to a temperature gradient.

Abstract: A method includes forming a thin-film based thermoelectric module by sputter depositing pairs of N-type and P-type thermoelectric legs electrically in contact with one another on corresponding electrically conductive pads on a flexible substrate having a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 25 ?m, with the legs having extended areas compared to the corresponding electrically conductive pads, and rendering the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module flexible and less than or equal to 100 ?m in dimensional thickness based on choices of fabrication processes. The method also includes encapsulating the formed thin-film based thermoelectric module with an elastomer to render the flexibility thereto. The elastomer encapsulation has a dimensional thickness less than or equal to 15 ?m, and the flexibility enables an array of thin-film based thermoelectric modules to be completely wrappable and bendable around a system element from which the array is configured to derive thermoelectric power.

Abstract: A hybrid solar-thermoelectric device includes a solar device and a thermoelectric device coupled thereto. The thermoelectric device includes a flexible first substrate, and a number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs coupled to the first substrate. Each set includes an N and a P thermoelectric leg electrically contacting each other through a conductive material on the first substrate. The thermoelectric device also includes a rigid second substrate, a conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and a number of pins corresponding to the number of sets of N and P thermoelectric legs. Each pin couples the each set on an end thereof away from the first substrate to the conductive thin film formed on the second substrate, and is several times longer than a height of the N and P thermoelectric legs.