Abstract: Provided is a heat flow switching element which has a larger change in a thermal conductivity and has excellent thermal responsiveness. The heat flow switching element includes an N-type semiconductor layer, an insulator layer laminated on the N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer laminated on the insulator layer, an N-side electrode connected to the N-type semiconductor layer, and a P-side electrode connected to the P-type semiconductor layer. In particular, the insulator layer is formed of a dielectric. Also, a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers and P-type semiconductor layers are laminated alternately with the insulator layer interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material is composed of a compound semiconductor including a plurality of base material elements, and includes: an amorphous phase; and crystal phases having an average grain size of more than or equal to 5 nm, each of the crystal phases being in a form of a grain. The plurality of base material elements include a specific base material element that causes an increase of a band gap by increasing a concentration of the specific base material element. An atomic concentration of the specific base material element included in the crystal phases with respect to a whole of the plurality of base material elements included in the crystal phases is higher than an atomic concentration of the specific base material element included in the compound semiconductor with respect to a whole of the plurality of base material elements included in the compound semiconductor.

Abstract: A substrate of which at least an upper surface is formed of an insulating material, an N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer, and an insulator layer are provided, one semiconductor layer of the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate, the insulator layer is formed on the one semiconductor layer, and the other semiconductor layer of the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer is formed on the insulator layer. In this way, since electric charges induced by an external voltage are generated both at and near an interface between the N-type semiconductor layer and the insulator layer and at and near an interface between the P-type semiconductor layer and the insulator layer, an amount of the generated charge increases, and thus a larger variation in thermal conductivity and high thermal responsiveness can be obtained.

Abstract: Provided is a heat flow switching element which has a larger change in a thermal conductivity and has excellent thermal responsiveness. The heat flow switching element includes an N-type semiconductor layer, an insulator layer laminated on the N-type semiconductor layer, a P-type semiconductor layer laminated on the insulator layer, an N-side electrode connected to the N-type semiconductor layer, and a P-side electrode connected to the P-type semiconductor layer. In particular, the insulator layer is formed of a dielectric. Also, a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers and P-type semiconductor layers are laminated alternately with the insulator layer interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element includes: a thermoelectric conversion material portion composed of a material having a band gap; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion; a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode; and a sealing portion that seals the thermoelectric conversion material portion. A partial pressure of oxygen in a region surrounding the thermoelectric conversion material portion is maintained by the sealing portion so as to be lower than a partial pressure of oxygen in an external air.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor composed of a base material element; a first additional element that is an element different from the base material element, has a vacant orbital in a d orbital or f orbital located internal to an outermost shell of the first additional element and forms a first additional level in a forbidden band of the base material; and a second additional element that is an element different from both of the base material element and the first additional element and forms a second additional level in the forbidden band of the base material. A difference is 1 between the number of electrons in an outermost shell of the second additional element and the number of electrons in at least one outermost shell of the base material element.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material element includes: a thermoelectric material portion composed of a thermoelectric material that includes a first crystal phase and a second crystal phase during an operation, the second crystal phase being different from the first crystal phase; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion; and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode. During the operation, the thermoelectric material portion includes a first temperature region having a first temperature, and a second temperature region having a second temperature lower than the first temperature of the first temperature region. A ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the first temperature region is larger than a ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the second temperature region.

Abstract: A coolant supply device includes a supply pump configured to supply a coolant of a clean tank to a machine tool, a recovering route configured to return the coolant from the machine tool to a dirty tank, a cyclone filter arranged on a coupling route and configured to separate the coolant into dirty liquid and a clean liquid, and a container connected to a dirty liquid outlet of the filter and configured to accumulate the sludge. The coolant supply device further includes a sensing unit configured to sense the amount of accumulation of the sludge in the container, and a controller configured to perform control based on a sensing result of the sensing unit.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor; and an additive element that differs from an element constituting the base material. An additional band formed of the additive element is present within a forbidden band of the base material. A density of states of the additional band has a ratio of greater than or equal to 0.1 relative to a maximum value of a density of states of a valence band adjacent to the forbidden band of the base material.

Abstract: A thermal insulation material containing an Al—Cu—Fe-based alloy, wherein at least part of the Al—Cu—Fe-based alloy comprises a quasicrystalline phase, wherein the Al—Cu—Fe-based alloy contains one or more transition elements selected from the group of Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Os, Jr, Pt, and Au, and wherein the total of the transition elements is from 0.25 to 0.75 atom % when the whole of the Al—Cu—Fe-based alloy is 100 atom %.