Anemometer based on Seebeck effect

This paper presents the realisation. of anemometers based on periodic structures elaborated by flash evaporation technique on polyinude substrate using Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3(P) and Bi2Te3-Bi2Se3(N) materials which have a high figure of merit. These anemometers are based on both Seebeck and Joule effects. We elaborate a particular geometry in order to improve the sensitivity of periodic structure sensors. The measurement method involves first the use of the Joule effect to generate the temperature difference between numerous thermoelectric junctions along the sensor, and second the use of the Seebeck effect to detect these thermal gradients. On these periodic structures we studied the sensitivity of various geometries and we obtained maximum sensitivity on the periodic structure SPI which have an arm length of 1.2 rum. We show the possibility of measuring gas flow velocity with a sensor of low power consumption and slightly sensitive to room temperature. These results are very promising to develop original microstructures based on Seebeck and Joule effect. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.