Feasibility Study of Thin Film Thermocouple Piles (MSFC Center Director's Discretionary Fund Final Report, Project No. 99-41)

NASA/TM-210963, Sisk, R.C., Feasibility Study of Thin Film Thermocouple Piles (MSFC Center Director's Discretionary Fund Final Report, Project No. 99-41), George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC 20546-0001, Prepared by Microgravity Science and Applications Department, Science Directorate, April 2001, pp. 16, Format(s): PDF 29500k

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Historically, thermopile detectors, generators, and refrigerators based on bulk materials have been used to measure temperature, generate power for spacecraft, and cool sensors for scientific investigations. New potential uses of small, low-power, thin film thermopiles are in the area of microelectromechanical systems since power requirements decrease as electrical and mechanical machines shrink in size. In this research activity, thin film thermopile devices are fabricated utilizing radio frequency sputter coating and photoresist lift-off techniques. Electrical characterizations are performed on two designs in order to investigate the feasibility of generating small amounts of power, utilizing any available waste heat as the energy source.

Keywords:	thin films, thermocouples, thermopiles, microfabrication
Subjects:	Engineering: Electronics and Electrical Engineering: Electrical Equipment
ID Code:	557
Deposited On:	02 August 2002