(19)
(11) EP 1 737 053 A8

(12) CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC

(15) Correction information:
Corrected version no 1 (W1 A1)

(48) Corrigendum issued on:
03.10.2007 Bulletin 2007/40

(43) Date of publication:
27.12.2006 Bulletin 2006/52

(21) Application number: 05727085.2

(22) Date of filing: 22.03.2005
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H01L 35/22(2006.01)
C04B 35/50(2006.01)
H01L 35/34(2006.01)
C04B 35/495(2006.01)
H01L 35/32(2006.01)
H02N 11/00(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/JP2005/005133
(87) International publication number:
WO 2005/093864 (06.10.2005 Gazette 2005/40)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE GB

(30) Priority: 25.03.2004 JP 2004088290

(71) Applicant: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Tokyo 100-8921 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • MIHARA, Toshiyuki c/o Kansai Center of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Ikeda-shi, Osaka 5638577 (JP)
  • FUNAHASHI, Ryoji c/o Kansai Center of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Ikeda-shi, Osaka 5638577 (JP)
  • AKEDO, Jun c/o National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 3058564 (JP)
  • BABA, Sou c/o National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 3058564 (JP)
  • MIKAMI, Masashi c/o Kansai Center of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Ikeda-shi, Osaka 5638577 (JP)

(74) Representative: Müller-Boré & Partner Patentanwälte 
Grafinger Strasse 2
81671 München
81671 München (DE)

   


(54) THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT AND THERMOELECTRIC CONVERSION MODULE


(57) The present invention provides a thermoelectric element in which a thin film of p-type thermoelectric material and a thin film of n-type thermoelectric material, which are formed on an electrically insulating substrate, are electrically connected, in which the p-type thermoelectric material and the n-type thermoelectric material are selected from specific complex oxides with a positive Seebeck coefficient and specific complex oxides with a negative Seebeck coefficient, respectively. The present invention also provides a thermoelectric module using the thermoelectric element(s) and a thermoelectric conversion method. In the thermoelectric element of the present invention, since a p-type thermoelectric material and an n-type thermoelectric material are formed into a thin film on an electrically insulating substrate, the thermoelectric element of the invention can be formed on substrates having various shapes, thereby providing thermoelectric elements having various shapes.