微型温差电器件及相关材料的研究现状

Recent development of thermoelectric materials and micro-thermoelectric devices

1821年德国科学家塞贝克发现的塞贝克效应以及后来帕尔帖效应和汤姆逊效应开启了热电学的大门,人们应用这些效应先后制造出了各种温差电器件,如温差电发电器、温差电致冷器、温差电传感器、温差电探测器等。随着微电机系统(MEMS)技术、微电子技术引入温差电器件的制造,微型温差电器件吸引了越来越多的注意。介绍了近年美国、德国、中国等在微型温差电器件制造及材料研究方面的相关研究成果。

Seebeck effect, Peltier effect and Thomson effect are the foundation of the thermoelectrics. According to these effects, many kinds of thermoelectric devices such as thermoelectric generators, Peltier coolers, thermoelectric sensors, and thermoelectric detectors are developed. Since micro electronic technology technique and MEMS technology were introduced to the fabrication of thermoelectric devices, the thermoelectric micro-devices have drawn more and more attention. The recent development and related results about the micro thermoelectric devices in American, Germany, and China were introduced.