# US 2020/0403136 A1 · Thermoelectric material element, power generation device, optical sensor, and method for manufacturing thermoelectric material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0403136 A1 - Document ID: US20200403136A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/977,666 - Filed: 2019-02-15 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-08 - Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation - Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Toyota School Foundation - Inventors: Masahiro ADACHI; Makoto KIYAMA; Takashi MATSUURA; Yoshiyuki YAMAMOTO; Do-Gyun BYEON; Tsunehiro TAKEUCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200403136A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment - G01J 1/02: Details - H02N 11/00: Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) - H10N 10/857: comprising compositions changing continuously or discontinuously inside the material - H10N 10/852: comprising tellurium, selenium or sulfur - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A thermoelectric material element includes: a thermoelectric material portion composed of a thermoelectric material that includes a first crystal phase and a second crystal phase during an operation, the second crystal phase being different from the first crystal phase; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion; and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode. During the operation, the thermoelectric material portion includes a first temperature region having a first temperature, and a second temperature region having a second temperature lower than the first temperature of the first temperature region. A ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the first temperature region is larger than a ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the second temperature region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermoelectric material element comprising: a thermoelectric material portion composed of a thermoelectric material that includes a first crystal phase and a second crystal phase during an operation, the second crystal phase being different from the first crystal phase; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion; and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode, wherein during the operation, the thermoelectric material portion includes a first temperature region having a first temperature, and a second temperature region having a second temperature lower than the first temperature of the first temperature region, and a ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the first temperature region is larger than a ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the second temperature region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature region includes a maximum temperature portion having a highest temperature, the second temperature region includes a minimum temperature portion having a lowest temperature, and the ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase becomes smaller from the maximum temperature portion toward the minimum temperature portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 2, wherein during the operation, a direction from the maximum temperature portion toward the minimum temperature portion is inclined relative to a direction from a region at which the first electrode and the thermoelectric material portion are in contact with each other toward a region at which the second electrode and the thermoelectric material portion are in contact with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein in a compound of which the thermoelectric material portion is composed, a ratio of cation atoms included in the first crystal phase is different from a ratio of cation atoms included in the second crystal phase. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein a carrier concentration in the second crystal phase during the operation is lower than a carrier concentration in the second crystal phase before the operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the thermoelectric material portion is exposed to a reduced pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 6, wherein at least the portion of the surface of the thermoelectric material portion is exposed to an atmospheric pressure of less than 10 Pa. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein during the operation, a temperature difference is less than 2 K between a region at which the first electrode and the thermoelectric material portion are in contact with each other and a region at which the second electrode and the thermoelectric material portion are in contact with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of a chalcogenide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of Cu2Se, SnSe, Ag2Se, Ag2Te, or a compound obtained by adding a transition metal element to one of the Cu2Se, the SnSe, the Ag2Se, the Ag2Te. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of a compound obtained by adding Ni, Ti, or Zr to the Cu2Se. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 10, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of a compound obtained by adding Sc, Ti, or Zr to the SnSe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of Cu2Se, and the thermoelectric material portion has a temperature falling within a range of 50° C. to 130° C. during the operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric material portion is composed of SnSe, and the thermoelectric material portion has a temperature falling within a range of 130° C. to 530° C. during the operation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The thermoelectric material element according to claim 1, wherein the first crystal phase is a cubic or orthorhombic crystal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A power generation device comprising the thermoelectric material element recited in claim 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An optical sensor comprising the thermoelectric material element recited in claim 1. ### Claim 18 A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric material, the method comprising: obtaining a pressed powder body by solidifying powder serving as a source material of a chalcogenide; crystallizing a portion of the pressed powder body by heating; and crystallizing a remainder of the pressed powder body by self-heating of the pressed powder body with the heating being halted after crystallizing the portion of the pressed powder body, the self-heating of the pressed powder body resulting from progress of crystallization.