Instability-induced wrinkling in thermoelectric thin film/substrate structures for thermal protection systems in supersonic space shuttle applications

This paper examines the behavior of wrinkling instability of a thermoelectric thin film bonded to substrate. The critical temperature differences for wrinkling occurrence and buckling initiation are obtained. Damage growth following wrinkling is also determined. These critical temperatures can provide guidelines for the design of thermoelectric thin film devices. Numerical results show that the stability of thermoelectric thin film is affected by the electric current. The critical temperature differences become smaller when the electric current density in thermoelectric thin film is higher. Effect of the wavelength of wrinkling on the critical temperature differences of wrinkling occurrence is also identified.