Wafer scale thermoelectric energy harvester

1. A thermoelectric harvester, comprising:

a first layer and a second layer, at least one of the first layer or second layer being for coupling to a heat source;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements disposed between the first and second layers and having a length greater than a distance of separation between the first and second layers, wherein the thermoelectric elements are electrically coupled together in series in alternating device types and include a first thermoelectric element and second thermoelectric element coupled to both of the first and second layers at opposite ends thereof; and

a dielectric substantially filling a space between the first thermoelectric element and the first layer and filling a space between the second thermoelectric element and the first layer.

2. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal contact layer disposed above the plurality of thermoelectric elements.

3. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric elements further includes a third thermoelectric element adjacent the first thermoelectric element, wherein the first thermoelectric element has a top and a bottom, wherein the top of the first thermoelectric element is connected to a top of the second thermoelectric element and the bottom of the first thermoelectric element is connected to a bottom of the third thermoelectric element.

4. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 3 , wherein the first thermoelectric element and the second thermoelectric element are connected via an interconnect and a barrier metal is included between the interconnect and the first and second thermoelectric elements.

5. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermoelectric elements includes p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements.

6. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 5 , where the p-type or n-type thermoelectric elements are superlattices.

7. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 5 , wherein each p-type thermoelectric element is adjacent to only n-type thermoelectric elements.

8. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoelectric element has a run length greater than the distance of separation between the first and second layers.

9. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 8 , wherein the dielectric comprises polyimide.

10. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 8 , wherein the first and second thermoelectric elements have higher thermal conductivity than the dielectric.

11. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate disposed adjacent to the first or second layer outside of a space between the first and second layers, the substrate including a cavity in a surface that is adjacent to the first layer or second layer to which the substrate is adjacent.

12. A thermoelectric harvester, comprising:

a substrate including a first thermal conductor layer;

a second thermal conductor layer spaced apart from the first thermal conductor layer by a separation distance;

a plurality of p-type thermoelectric elements disposed between the first thermal conductor layer and the second thermal conductor layer, including a first p-type thermoelectric element having a length that is greater than the separation distance;

a plurality of n-type thermoelectric elements disposed between the first thermal conductor layer and the second thermal conductor layer, including a first n-type thermoelectric element having a length that is greater than the separation distance, wherein the p-type thermoelectric elements and the n-type thermoelectric elements are connected in series while alternating between the p-type and the n-type thermoelectric elements; and

a dielectric substantially filling a space between the first p-type thermoelectric element, the first n-type thermoelectric element, and the first thermal conductor layer.

13. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12 , wherein the first p-type thermoelectric element or the first n-type thermoelectric element has a run length greater than the separation distance.

14. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 13 , wherein the first n-type thermoelectric element and the first p-type thermoelectric element are provided on sloped surfaces of the dielectric.

15. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12 , wherein the first thermal conductor layer overlies a cavity in the substrate.

16. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 15 , wherein the dielectric is between the cavity and the first n-type thermoelectric element.

17. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12 , wherein a top of one thermoelectric element is connected to a top of a first adjacent thermoelectric element and a bottom of the one thermoelectric element is connected to a bottom of a second adjacent thermoelectric element.

18. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12 , wherein the first n-type thermoelectric element or the first n-type thermoelectric element includes multiple segments.

19. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 12 , wherein the thermoelectric elements are connected via interconnects and a barrier metal is included between a first interconnect and the thermoelectric elements which it connects.

20. A thermoelectric harvester, comprising:

a first layer and a second layer, at least one of the first layer or second layer being a thermal contact layer;

a plurality of slanted thermoelectric elements disposed between and coupled to the first and second layers, wherein the thermoelectric elements are electrically coupled together in series in alternating device types and include a first slanted thermoelectric element and second slanted thermoelectric element; and

a dielectric substantially filling a space between the first slanted thermoelectric element and the first layer and filling a space between the second slanted thermoelectric element and the first layer.

21. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 20 , wherein the alternating device types include p-type thermoelectric elements and n-type thermoelectric elements.

22. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 20 , wherein the first slanted thermoelectric element, second slanted thermoelectric element, and the first layer define a space between them, and wherein the dielectric substantially fills the space between them.

23. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 20 , wherein the first slanted thermoelectric element includes multiple segments.

24. The thermoelectric harvester of claim 20 , further comprises a thermally insulating material between the first slanted thermoelectric element and the second layer.