National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Olympus Corporation

Gce Institute Inc.

Jian Lu

Hiroshi Goto

Minoru Sakata

Tsuyoshi Ikehara

Takashi Mihara

Ryutaro Maeda

A thermoelectric element to convert thermal energy into electrical energy includes a first electrode part, a second electrode part having a different work function than the first electrode part and arranged at a distance from the first electrode part, on a same surface of a substrate as the first electrode part, and a middle part provided between the first electrode part and the second electrode part.

Thermoelectric element, thermoelectric device, and method for forming thermoelectric element

An object of the present invention is to provide a detection sensor and a vibrator which can offer improved sensitivity. The present invention uses a scheme in which no piezoelectric layer, drive electrode, or the like is provided on the surface of a vibratorand in which the vibratoris driven by an actuatorprovided separately from the vibrator. The actuatoris of a cantilever type and is provided near a fixed endof the vibrator. Vibration of the actuatoris transmitted to the vibratorvia a coupling beam. Thus, vibration of the vibratoris prevented from being inhibited by a piezoelectric layer, a drive electrode, or the like. This improves the Q value of the vibratorand thus the sensitivity of the detection sensor. Furthermore, if the detection sensoris configured to offer a sensitivity equivalent to that of a conventional one, the size of the detection sensorcan be sharply reduced compared to that of the conventional one.

Detection sensor, vibrator

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Jian Lu