naa a22 4500 510803709 CHVBK 20180411083407.0 cr unu---uuuuu 180411e20130301xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11664-012-2366-1 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11664-012-2366-1 Thermal Cycling, Mechanical Degradation, and the Effective Figure of Merit of a Thermoelectric Module [Elektronische Daten] [M. Barako, W. Park, A. Marconnet, M. Asheghi, K. Goodson] Thermoelectric modules experience performance reduction and mechanical failure due to thermomechanical stresses induced by thermal cycling. The present study subjects a thermoelectric module to thermal cycling and evaluates the evolution of its thermoelectric performance through measurements of the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, and its individual components. The Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity are measured using steady-state infrared microscopy, and the electrical conductivity and ZT are evaluated using the Harman technique. These properties are tracked over many cycles until device failure after 45,000 thermal cycles. The mechanical failure of the TE module is analyzed using high-resolution infrared microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A reduction in electrical conductivity is the primary mechanism of performance reduction and is likely associated with defects observed during cycling. The effective figure of merit is reduced by 20% through 40,000 cycles and drops by 97% at 45,000 cycles. These results quantify the effect of thermal cycling on a commercial TE module and provide insight into the packaging of a complete TE module for reliable operation. TMS, 2012 Thermoelectric module nationallicence infrared microscopy nationallicence thermal cycling nationallicence figure of merit nationallicence Harman method nationallicence Barako M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut Park W. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut Marconnet A. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut Asheghi M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut Goodson K. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut Journal of Electronic Materials Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 42/3(2013-03-01), 372-381 0361-5235 42:3<372 2013 42 11664 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2366-1 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2366-1 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Barako M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Park W. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Marconnet A. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Asheghi M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Goodson K. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Journal of Electronic Materials Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 42/3(2013-03-01), 372-381 0361-5235 42:3<372 2013 42 11664 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer