# US 12,010,917 B2 · Thermoelectric conversion material, thermoelectric conversion element, thermoelectric conversion module, and optical sensor

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- Number: US 12,010,917 B2
- Document ID: US12010917B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/633,583
- Filed: 2020-06-25
- Published: 2022-09-29
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-30
- Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation
- Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation
- Inventors: Masahiro Adachi; Yoshiyuki Yamamoto; Tsunehiro Takeuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010917B2

## CPC

- H10N 10/852: comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur
- C01B 19/04: Binary compounds {including binary selenium-tellurium compounds (C01B19/004, C01B19/005, C01B19/007 take precedence)}
- C01G 5/00: Compounds of silver
- G01J 5/0225: {Shape of the cavity itself or of elements contained in or suspended over the cavity}
- G01J 5/12: using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
- H10N 10/17: characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device
- G01J 2005/123: {Thermoelectric array}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- C01G: COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts or peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium, or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds containing nitrogen, other non-metals and metal C01B21/082}; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

A thermoelectric conversion material is represented by a composition formula Ag2S(1-x)Sex. The value of x is not smaller than 0.2 and not greater than 0.95.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoelectric conversion material represented by a composition formula Ag2S(1-x)Sex,
x having a value of not smaller than 0.2 and not greater than 0.95.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1, wherein the value of x is not smaller than 0.5.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A thermoelectric conversion element comprising:
a thermoelectric conversion material portion;
a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion; and
a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode;
the thermoelectric conversion material portion being constituted by the thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A thermoelectric conversion module comprising the thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 3.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An optical sensor comprising:
an absorber that absorbs optical energy; and
a thermoelectric conversion material portion connected to the absorber,
the thermoelectric conversion material portion being constituted by the thermoelectric conversion material according to claim 1.