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Characterization of Thin-film Thermoelectric Micro-modules using Transient Harman ZT Measurement and Near-IR Thermoreflectance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Rajeev Singh ,
James Christofferson ,
Zhixi Bian ,
Joachim Nurnus ,
Axel Schubert  and
Ali Shakouri
Rajeev Singh
Affiliation:
rsingh@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Santa Cruz, Electrical Engineering, SOE GRAD, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
James Christofferson
Affiliation:
jchrist@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Electrical Engineering Department, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Zhixi Bian
Affiliation:
zxbian@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Electrical Engineering Department, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Joachim Nurnus
Affiliation:
joachim.nurnus@micropelt.com, Micropelt GmbH, Freiburg, Germany
Axel Schubert
Affiliation:
axel.schubert@micropelt.com, Micropelt GmbH, Freiburg, Germany
Ali Shakouri
Affiliation:
ali@soe.ucsc.edu, University of California, Electrical Engineering Department, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
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Abstract

We characterize several thin film thermoelectric micro-modules composed of 20 µm-thick elements and designed for cooling applications to identify factors that may limit device performance. Thermoelectric figure-of-merit measurements using the transient Harman technique are compared with maximum cooling data under no heat load. Correlation between the two measurements depending on the location of the parasitic joule heating in the module is analyzed. Near-infrared thermoreflectance is used to examine temperature non-uniformity in the module. The temperature distribution on the metal contacts due to the Peltier and Joule effects is obtained non-destructively through the silicon substrate of an active module.

Keywords

thermoelectricitythin filmpackaging
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1044: Symposium U – Thermoelectric Power Generation , 2007 , 1044-U10-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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