Thermoelectrics is the science and technology associated with thermoelectric converters, that is, the generation of electrical power by the Seebeck effect and refrigeration by the Peltier effect. Thermoelectric generators are being used in increasing numbers to provide electrical power in medical, military, and deep space applications where combinations of their desirable properties outweigh their relatively high cost and low generating efficiency. In recent years there also has been an increase in the requirement for thermoelectric coolers (Peltier devices) for use in infrared detectors and in optical communications. Information on thermoelectrics is not readily available as it is widely scattered throughout the literature. The Handbook centralizes this information in a convenient format under a single cover.
Sixty of the world's foremost authorities on thermoelectrics have contributed to this Handbook. It is comprised of fifty-five chapters, a number of which contain previously unpublished material. The contents are arranged in eight sections: general principles and theoretical considerations, material preparation, measurement of thermoelectric properties, thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric generation, generator applications, thermoelectric refrigeration, and applications of thermoelectric cooling.
The CRC Handbook of Thermoelectrics has a broad-based scope. It will interest researchers, technologists, and manufacturers, as well as students and the well-informed, non-specialist reader.
General Principles and Theoretical Considerations
Thermoelectric Phenomena, D.D. Pollock
Coversion Efficiency and Figure-of-Merit, H.J. Goldsmid
Thermoelectric Transport Theory, C.M. Bhandari
Optimization of Carrier Concentration, C.M. Bhandari and D.M. Rowe
Minimizing the Thermal Conductivity, C.M. Bhandari
Selective Carrier Scattering in Thermoelectric Materials, Y.I. Ravich
Thermomagnetic Phenomena, H.J. Goldsmid
Material Preparation
Preparation of Thermoelectric Materials from Melts, A. Borshchevsky
Powder Metallurgy Techniques, A.N. Scoville
PIES Method of Preparing Bismuth Alloys, T. Ohta and T. Kajikawa
Preparation of Thermoelectric Materials by Mechanical Alloying, B.A. Cook, J.L. Harringa, and S.H. Han
Preparation of Thermoelectric Films, K. Matsubara, T. Koyanagi, K. Nagao, and K. Kishimoto
Measurement of Thermoelectric Properties
Calculation of Peltier Device Performance, R.J. Buist
Measurements of Electrical Properties, I.A. Nishida
Measurement of Thermal Properties, R. Taylor
Z-Meters, H.H. Woodbury, L.M. Levinson, and S. Lewandowski
Methodology for Testing Thermoelectric Materials and Devices, R.J. Buist
Thermoelectric Materials
Bismuth Telluride, Antimony Telluride, and Their Solid Solutions, H. Scherrer and S. Scherrer
Valence Band Structure and the Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit of (Bi1-xSbx)Te3 Crystals, M. Stordeur
Lead Telluride and Its Alloys, V. Fano
Properties of the General Tags System, E.A. Skrabek and D.S. Trimmer
Thermoelectric Properties of Silicides, C.B. Vining
Polycrystalline Iron Disilicide as a Thermoelectric Generator Material, U. Birkholz, E. Gross, and U. Stohrer
Thermoelectric Properties of Anisotropic MnSi1.75 , V.K. Zaitsev
Low Carrier Mobility Materials for Thermoelectric Applications, V.K. Zaitsev, S.A. Ktitorov, and M.I. Federov
Semimetals as Materials for Thermoelectric Generators, M.I. Fedorov and V.K. Zaitsev
Silicon Germanium, C.B. Vining
Rare Earth Compounds, B.J. Beaudry and K.A. Gschneidner, Jr.
Thermoelectric Properties of High-Temperature Superconductors, M. Cassart and J.-P. Issi
Boron Carbides, T.L. Aselage and D. Emin
Thermoelectric Properties of Metallic Materials, A.T. Burkov and M.V. Vedernikov
Neutron Irradiation Damage in SiGe Alloys, J.W. Vandersande
New Materials and Performance Limits for Thermoelectric Cooling, G.A. Slack
Thermoelectric Generation
Miniature Semiconductor Thermoelectric Devices, D.M. Rowe
Commercially Available Generators, A.G. McNaughton
Modular RTG Technology, R.F. Hartman
Peltier Devices as Generators, G. Min and D.M. Rowe
Calculations of Generator Performance, M.H. Cobble
Generator Applications
Terrestrial Applications of Thermoelectric Generators, W.C. Hall
Space Applications, G.L. Bennett
SP-100 Space Subsystems, J.F. Mondt
Safety Aspects of Thermoelectrics in Space, G.L. Bennett
Low-Temperature Heat Conversion, K. Matsuura and D.M. Rowe
Thermoelectric Refrigeration
Introduction, H.J. Goldsmid
Module Design and Fabrication, R. Marlow and E. Burke
Cooling Thermoelements with Superconducting Leg, M.V. Vedernikov and V.L. Kuznetsov
Applications of Thermoelectric Cooling
Introduction, H.J. Goldsmid
Commercial Peltier Modules, K.-I. Uemura
Thermoelectrically Cooled Radiation Detectors, L.I. Anatychuk
Reliability of Peltier Coolers in Fiber-Optic Laser Packages, R.M. Redstall and R. Studd
Laboratory Equipment, K.-I. Uemura
Large-Scale Cooling: Integrated Thermoelectric Element Technology, J.G. Stockholm
Medium-Scale Cooling: Thermoelectric Module Technology, J.G. Stockholm
Modeling of Thermoelectric Cooling Systems, J.G. Stockholm
Biography
Rowe, D.M.