Method of manufacturing thermoelectric devices with insulators

Abstract

The disclosure is related to structures and methods of making thermoelectric devices. The methods may include preparing an electrically and thermally nonconductive substrate covered with gold-nickel-gold layers. In another step, cylindrical or frustum-shaped tunnels may be formed through the substrate and the gold-nickel-gold layers. Another step may include depositing a barrier layer on the walls of the tunnels that resists diffusion. N-type and p-type thermoelectric materials may be individually associated with and deposited on the barrier layers of the tunnels, and a metal layer may be deposited on the thermoelectric materials. The thermoelectric layers may be formed by combining alternating layers of thermoelectric materials and interlayers of phonon blocking materials. The method may include forming notches in the gold-nickel-gold layers to break electrical continuity. The method may also include a step of partially or fully capping the tunnels with sintered nano-silver or solder.