Thermoelectric device having co-extruded P-type and N-type materials

Abstract

A method of forming thermoelectric materials includes combining at least one P-type extrusion with at least one N-type extrusion to form a first P/N-type billet. The P/N-type billet may be extruded to form a first P/N-type extrusion having at least one P-type region, and at least one N-type region. The P/N-type extrusion may be segmented into a plurality of P/N-type extrusion segments. In a particular embodiment, a plurality of the P/N-type extrusion segments may be combined to form a second P/N-type billet. The second P/N-type billet may be extruded to form a second P/N-type extrusion having a second plurality of P-type regions and a second plurality of N-type regions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An extrusion, comprising: 
 a plurality of elongate P-type regions extending approximately from a first end of the extrusion to a second end of the extrusion; and    a plurality of elongate N-type regions generally interspersed between and adjacent to the P-type regions, each N-type region extending approximately from the first end to the second end.    
     
     
         2 . A thermoelectric device, comprising: 
 a P/N-type wafer having a plurality of P-type regions and a plurality of N-type regions generally interspersed between and adjacent the P-type regions;    a patterned metalization coupled with at least a subset of the P-type regions and N-type regions; and    first and second plates coupled with the P/N-type wafer.    
     
     
         3 . The thermoelectric device of  claim 2 , wherein the subset of the P-type regions and N-type regions are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel.