Thermoelectric Devices: Principles and Future Trends

The principles of the thermoelectric phenomenon, including Seebeck effect, Peltier effect, and Thomson effect are discussed. The dependence of the thermoelectric devices on the figure of merit, Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity are explained in details. The paper provides an overview of the different types of thermoelectric materials, explains the techniques used to grow thin films for these materials, and discusses future research and development trends for this technology.