EECE/MECH7023

"Thermoelectric Energy Conversion: Devices and Charge Transport"

This course is open for graduate students in both EECS and MME Depts. Use the course number EECE7023 and MECH7023, respectively. 

This course is designed to provide students thermoelectric energy conversion device operation principles and fundamentals of electron and thermal transport physics. First, operation principles of thermoelectric energy conversion devices and systems such as micro-refrigerators, energy harvesting and waste heat recovery power generators are discussed. Students will participate in system-level design practices for optimal power output and energy conversion efficiency of these devices using online simulation tools. Second, electron and thermal transport phenomena in semiconductor materials are introduced, and advanced transport physics such as quasi-ballistic transport in nanoscale materials are also briefly covered. Calculations and analysis of thermoelectric transport properties of semiconductors based on the Boltzmann transport equations are exercised using an online transport simulation tool. State-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are introduced and challenges in enhancing their thermoelectric performances and fabricating practical devices out of the materials are also discussed. 

Topics to cover:

1. Energy challenges in society, and introduction to solid-state physics 

2. Physical principles of thermoelectric energy conversion

3. Overview of thermoelectric devices and applications

4. Operation principles of thermoelectric devices

5. Design and cost/performance optimization

6. Device and module performance characterization

7. Introduction to charge carrier transport in semiconductors

8. Coupled charge and heat currents equations

9. Boltzmann transport equations

10. Scattering phenomena and relaxation time approximation

11. Thermoelectric transport parameters and energy conversion efficiency

12. Quasi-ballistic transport (Landauer)

13. Electrical and thermal measurement techniques

Please click below to download the course syllabus.