Overview of Developments and Applications of Thermoelectrics Integrated with MEMS

Thermoelectric devices can be used for direct conversion of heat to electricity, which is one of the good solutions for recovering waste energy. A thermoelectric device can function whenever there is a temperature difference between the device and its surroundings. The performance of thermoelectric devices has improved significantly in this decade because of advances in related science and technology. However, larger market applications still remain elusive. The real-life application of thermoelectric devices can be greatly enabled by microelectrical mechanical systems (MEMS). In this paper, various types of thermoelectric materials and devices are introduced and categorized from the perspective of MEMS and the key issue corresponding to each type of device is discussed. By applying the MEMS-based integrated thermoelectric device, Wireless Sensor Networks can be practical and effective in the field of safety, health, and communication.