Micro thermoelectric devices: From principles to innovative applications

• Published in: Chinese physics B Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 47204 - 17
• Main Authors: Liu, Qiulin, Li, Guodong, Zhu, Hangtian, Zhao, Huaizhou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chinese Physical Society and IOP Publishing Ltd 01.04.2022; School of Physical Sciences,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China%Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100190,China; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory,Dongguan 523808,China%Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100190,China%Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100190,China; School of Physical Sciences,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China; Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory,Dongguan 523808,China; Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100190,China
• Subjects: contact impedance; energy harvesti; local temperature control; thermoelectric microdevices; contact impedance; energy harvesting; local temperature control; thermoelectric microdevices
• ISSN: 1674-1056; 2058-3834
• DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/ac5609

Thermoelectric devices (TEDs), including thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and thermoelectric coolers (TECs) based on the Seebeck and Peltier effects, respectively, are capable of converting heat directly into electricity and vice versa. Tough suffering from low energy conversion efficiency and relatively high capital cost, TEDs have found niche applications, such as the remote power source for spacecraft, solid-state refrigerators, waste heat recycling, and so on. In particular, on-chip integrable micro thermoelectric devices (μ-TEDs), which can realize local thermal management, on-site temperature sensing, and energy harvesting under minor temperature gradient, could play an important role in biological sensing and cell cultivation, self-powered Internet of Things (IoT), and wearable electronics. In this review, starting from the basic principles of thermoelectric devices, we summarize the most critical parameters for μ-TEDs, design guidelines, and most recent advances in the fabrication process. In addition, some innovative applications of μ-TEDs, such as in combination with microfluidics and photonics, are demonstrated in detail.