Method for manufacturing a thermopile on a membrane and a membrane-less thermopile, the thermopile thus obtained and a thermoelectric generator comprising such thermopiles

Abstract

A method for manufacturing thermopile carrier chips comprises forming first type thermocouple legs and second type thermocouple legs on a first surface of a substrate and afterwards removing part of the substrate form a second surface opposite to the first surface, thereby forming a carrier frame from the substrate and at least partially releasing the thermocouple legs from the substrate, wherein the thermocouple legs are attached between parts of the carrier frame. First type thermocouple legs and second type thermocouple legs may be formed on the same substrate or on a separate substrate. In the latter approach both types of thermocouple legs may be optimised independently. The thermocouple legs may be self-supporting or they may be supported by a thin membrane layer. After mounting the thermopile carrier chips in a thermopile unit or in a thermoelectric generator, the sides of the carrier frame to which no thermocouple legs are attached are removed. A thermoelectric generator according to the present disclosure may be used for generating electrical power, for example for powering an electrical device such as a watch. It may be used with a heat source and/or heat sink with high thermal resistance, such as a human body.