Thermoelectric material characterization and module fabrication

Thermoelectric generators operate with no moving parts to convert heat flow to electricity. Significant interest in developing new materials in recent years has led to the discovery of several promising thermoelectrics; however there can be considerable challenges in developing the materials into working devices. Testing and feedback is needed at each step to gain valuable information for identification of difficulties in; quality of the materials and modules, electrical contacts to the materials, repeatability in fabrication, and longevity of the devices. The goal of this dissertation is to show results in all of these categories.