Metallic Junction Thermoelectric Generator

A method of fabricating a metal junction thermoelectric device, the method comprising:

• depositing a first metal having a first occupancy state onto a substrate to form a first conductor extending in a first direction;
• depositing a second metal having a second occupancy state onto a substrate to form a second conductor extending in the first direction such that the first and second conductors are thermally parallel to one another;
• electrically interconnecting the first and second conductors to form a thermoelectric element such that the thermoelectric element produces a voltage potential if thermal energy is applied to the thermoelectric element.

A metal junction thermoelectric device, comprising:

• a plurality of thermoelectric elements arranged to form a multi-layer structure having first and second opposite sides;
• each layer including a plurality of thermoelectric elements that are serially interconnected and/or a plurality of thermoelectric elements that are connected in parallel;
• wherein each thermoelectric element includes a first conductor made from a first non-doped metal, and a second conductor made from a second non-doped metal, wherein the first and second conductors are electrically interconnected in series, and wherein the first and second conductors are arranged to conduct heat in parallel between the first and second sides, and wherein the first metal has a first occupancy state and the second metal has a second occupancy state that is lower than the first occupancy state such that a temperature difference between the first and second sides causes a charge potential and generates electrical power.