METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE

• Main Authors: EGNER, SEBASTIAN, OUWERKERK, MARTIN, LASANCE, CLEMENS, J., M, DEKKER, RONALD, MELLIER, MAXIME, R., L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 30.07.2008
• Subjects: ELECTRICITY

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device ( 10 ), in particular a thermoelectric generator ( 10 ), comprising a flexible foil ( 1 ) on which two groups ( 2, 3 ) of series-connected strip-shaped parts ( 2 A, 3 A) are formed, where the materials chosen for the two groups of parts ( 2 A, 3 A) are materials with a different thermoelectric coefficient and said two groups of parts are formed in a pattern ( 100 ) such that the connections ( 4 ) between one part ( 2 A) of one group ( 2 ) and another part ( 3 A) of the other group ( 3 ) are alternately positioned in two spaced apart areas (G 1 , G 2 ) of the foil ( 1 ), and after the formation of the parts ( 2 A, 3 A) on a substrate ( 5 ), the foil ( 1 ) is attached to the stripshaped parts ( 2 A, 3 A), after which the substrate ( 5 ) is removed. According to the invention, for the substrate ( 5 ) use is made of a rigid (=relatively thick) substrate ( 5 ), and before the substrate ( 5 ) is removed a rigid (=relatively thick) carrier plate ( 6 ) is attached to the foil ( 1 ) that is removed again from the foil ( 1 ) after removal of the rigid substrate ( 5 ). In this way, the method is particularly suitable for the use of semiconductor substrates ( 5 ) which can be rapidly removed by chemical-mechanical polishing. Preferably, the foil ( 1 ) with the device ( 10 ) is folded or coiled before use.