• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.103-111
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• 2003

A chromel-alumel thermoelectric flow sensor using $Si_3N_4/SiO_2/Si_3N_4$ thermal isolation membrane was fabricated. Temperature coefficient of resistance of thin film Pt-heater was about $0.00397/^{\circ}C$, and Seebeck coefficient of chromel-alumel thermocouple was about $36\;{\mu}V/K$. The sensor showed that thermoelectric voltage decreased as thermal conductivity of gas increased, and $N_2$-flow sensitivity increased as heater voltage increased or the distance between heater and thermocouple decreased. When heater voltage was about 2.5 V, $N_2$-flow sensitivity and thermal response time of the sensor were about $1.5\;mV/sccm^{1/2}$ and 0.18 sec., respectively. Linear range in flow sensitivity of the flow sensor was wider than that of Bi-Sb flow sensor.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.51-59
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• 1996

A flow sensor has been fabricated by preparing thin film Pt-heater and Bi-Sb thermocouples array on 150 nm-$Si_{3}N_{4}$/300 nm-$SiO_{2}$/150 nm-$Si_{3}N_{4}$ dielectric diaphragm which has low thermal conductivity and balanced stress with silicon substrate for the purpose of improving the thermal isolation between heater and silicon substrate. Pt-heater showed nonlinear I-V characteristics due to the thermal isolation effect of the diaphragm. Its temperature coefficient of resistance was about $0.00378\;/^{\circ}C$ and Seebeck coefficient of Bi-Sb thermocouple was about $97\;{\mu}V/K$. The sensor showed that thermoelectric voltage decreased as thermal conductivity of gas increased, and flow sensitivity increased as heater voltage increased or as the distance between heater and thermocouple decreased. When heater voltage was about 2.5 V, $N_{2}$-flow sensitivity and thermal response time of the sensor were about $1.27\;mV{\cdot}(sccm)^{-1/2}$ and 0.13 sec., respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.438-444
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• 2017

In this work, the effects of hydrogen reduction on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of $(GeTe)_{0.85}(AgSbTe_2)_{0.15}$ (TAGS-85) were studied by a combination of gas atomization and spark plasma sintering. The crystal structure and microstructure of TAGS-85 were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxygen content of both powders and bulk samples were found to decrease with increasing reduction temperature. The grain size gradually increased with increasing reduction temperature due to adhesion of fine grains in a temperature range of 350 to $450^{\circ}C$. The electrical resistivity was found to increase with reduction temperature due to a decrease in carrier concentration. The Seebeck coefficient decreased with increasing reduction temperature and was in good agreement with the carrier concentration and carrier mobility. The maximum power factor, $3.3{\times}10^{-3}W/mK^2$, was measured for the non-reduction bulk TAGS-85 at $450^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.174-176
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• 2016

In this study, we maximize the temperature difference between the ends of a HgTe nanoparticle(NP) thin film on a thermoelectric platform with a through-substrate via. The thermoelectric characteristics of the HgTe NP thin film show p-type behavior and its Seebeck coefficient is $290{\mu}V/K$. In addition, we demonstrate the possibility of wearable thermoelectric devices transforming body heat into electricity from through-substrate via thermoelectric platforms on human skin.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.661-661
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• 2013

열전재료는 열-전기가 상호 가역적으로 변하는 재료로서, 에너지 변환소재 분야에서 널리 각광받고 있다. 열전재료의 성능은 무차원 열전성능지수(dimensionless figure of merit, $ZT={\alpha}^2{\sigma}T/{\kappa}$)로 평가된다. 여기서 ${\alpha}$는 제벡계수(Seebeck coefficient), ${\sigma}$는 전기전도도(electrical conductivity), ${\kappa}$는 열전도도(thermal conductivity), T는 Kelvin 온도를 나타낸다. 500 K에서 800 K까지의 중온 영역에서 우수한 열전특성을 보이는 $Mg_2X$ (X=Si, Ge, Sn)와 이들의 고용체는 성분원소가 독성이 없고, 매장량이 많아 친환경 열전재료로 각광받고 있다. $Mg_2X$ 고용체 중 $Mg_2Si-Mg_2Sn$ 고용체는 Si와 Sn의 큰 원자량 차이로 인해 낮은 열전도도와 높은 성능지수(ZT)를 얻을 것이라 예상되며 열전발전 소자로서의 응용이 기대된다. Sb가 도핑된 $Mg_{2+x}Si_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}Sb_y$ (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, y=0, 0.01) 고용체를 고상합성과 기계적 합금화로 합성한 후, 진공 열간압축 성형을 통해 성공적으로 제조하였다. X선 회절분석으로 상합성과 고용체 형성 여부를 확인하였고, Mg의 과잉첨가와 Sb 도핑에 따른 열전특성의 변화를 조사하였다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.292-296
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• 2006

Effects of rapid thermal annealing of bismuth telluride thin films on their thermoelectric properties were investigated. Films with four different compositions were elaborated by co-sputtering of Bi and Te targets. Rapid thermal treatments in range of $300{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ were carried out during 10 minutes under the reducing atmosphere (Ar with 10% $H_2$). As the temperature of thermal treatment increased, carrier concentrations of films decreased while their mobilities increased. These changes were clearly observed for the films close to the stoichiometric composition. Rapid thermal treatment was found to be effective in improving the thermoelectric properties of $Bi_2Te_3$ films. Recrystallization of $Bi_2Te_3$ phase has caused the enhancement of thermoelectric properties, along with the decrease of the carrier concentration. Maximum values of Seebeck coefficient and power factor were obtained for the films treated at $400^{\circ}C$ (about $-128{\mu}V/K$ and $9{\times}10^{-4}\;W/K^2m$, respectively). With further higher temperature ($500^{\circ}C$), thermoelectric properties deteriorated due to the evaporation of Te element and subsequent disruption of film's structure.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3261-3266
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• 2014

A pellet of polycrystalline $CuGaO_2$ with a delafossite structure was prepared from $Ga_2O_3$ and CuO by high-temperature solid-state synthesis. The $CuGaO_2$ pellet was a p-type semiconductor for which the electrical conductivity, carrier density, carrier mobility and Seebeck coefficient were $5.34{\times}10^{-2}{\Omega}^{-1}cm^{-1}$, $3.5{\times}10^{20}cm^{-3}$, $9.5{\times}10^{-4}cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ at room temperature, and $+360{\mu}V/K$, respectively. It also exhibited two optical transitions at about 2.7 and 3.6 eV. The photoelectrochemical properties of the $CuGaO_2$ pellet electrode were investigated in aqueous electrolyte solutions. The flat-band potential of this electrode, determined using a Mott-Schottky plot, was +0.18 V vs SCE at pH 4.8 and followed the Nernst equation with respect to pH. Under UV light illumination, a cathodic photocurrent developed, and molecular hydrogen simultaneously evolved on the surface of the electrode due to the direct reduction of water without deposition of any metal catalyst.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.272-277
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• 2017

Organic-inorganic hybrid thermoelectric materials have obtained increasing attention because it opens the possibility of enhancing thermoelectric performance by utilizing the low thermal conductivity of organic thermoelectric materials and the high Seebeck coefficient of inorganic thermoelectric materials. Moreover, the organic-inorganic hybrid thermoelectric materials possess numerous advantages, including functional aspects such as flexibility or transparency, low cost raw materials, and simplified fabrication processes, thus, allowing for a wide range of potential applications. In this study, the types and synthesis methods of organic-inorganic thermoelectric hybrid materials were discussed along with the methods used to enhance their thermoelectric properties. As a key factor to maximize the thermoelectric performances of hybrid thermoelectric materials, the nanoengineering to control the nanostructure of the inorganic materials as well as the modification of the organic material structure and doping level are considered, respectively. Meanwhile, the interface between the inorganic and organic phase is also important to develop the hybrid thermoelectric module with excellent reliability and high thermoelectric efficiency in addition to its performance in various electronic devices.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.622-629
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• 1988

In order to improve the sensitivity of the wafer type heat flux sensor, some heat flux sensors were manufactured and examined by using thermoelectric semiconductor material (bismuth telluride) whose Seebck coefficient is much larger than those of metallic thermocouple materials. Because the thermoelectric element cannot be bended or welded, a peculiar sensor structure and manufacturing process were designed. As a result, it is revealed that the characteristic sensitivity of the manufactured sensor is about 10 times larger than that of marketed sensor even though there are some troubles in stiffness for reciprocal use. If we make this kind of sensors smaller and thinner, it will be a useful method to measure the local heat flux from the surface of complex configuration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.04b
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• pp.47-47
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• 2009

The formation of variable one-dimensional structures including core/shell structure is of particular significance with respect to potential applications for thermoelectric devices with the enhanced figure of merit ($ZT=S2{\sigma}T/{\kappa}$). We report the fabrication of Bi-Te core/shell nanowire based on a novel stress induced method. Fig. 1 schematically shows the nanowire fabrication process. Bi nanowires are grown on the Si substrate by the stress-induced method, and then Te is evaporated on the Bi nanowires. Fig. 2 is a transmission electron microscopy image clearly showing a core/shell structure for which effective phonon scattering and quantum confinement effect are expected. Electrical conductivity of the core/shell nanowire was measured at the temperatures from 4K to 300K, respectively. Our results demonstrate that Bi-Te core/shell nanowire can be grown successfully by the stress-induced method. Based on the result of electrical transport measurement and characteristic morphology of rough surface, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity of Bi-Te core/shell nanowires are presented.