Design for Maximum Power Transfer Efficiency of Thermoelectric Generators using Mixed Mode Simulations

Coupled simulations of both thermal and electrical processes are employed to perform reliable estimations of the harvesting capabilities of a novel thermoelectric generator concept based on the use of p- and n-type materials films of nanometric thickness separated by a dielectric layer. The doping and geometrical parameters of the device are optimized to maximize the thermoelectrical properties while guaranteeing optimal power transfer efficiency with the use of mixed mode simulations in conventional CAD tools.

keywords: Thermoelectric generators, semiconductor devices, modeling, power efficiency