A thermoelectric power supply converts thermal energy into a high power
output with voltages in the Volt-range for powering a microelectronic
device and comprises an in-plane thermoelectric generator, a cross-plane
thermoelectric generator, an initial energy management assembly, a
voltage converter and a final energy management assembly. The in-plane
thermoelectric generator produces a high thermoelectric voltage at low
power output. The initial energy management assembly rectifies and limits
the thermoelectric voltage and stores and releases power to the voltage
converter. The cross-plane thermoelectric generator generates a high
power output at low thermoelectric voltage. Once activated by the
in-plane thermoelectric generator, the voltage converter multiplies the
low thermoelectric voltage output of the cross-plane thermoelectric
generator. After multiplying the relatively low voltage provided by the
cross-plane thermoelectric generator, the voltage converter supplies
electrical energy to the final energy management assembly which rectifies
and limits the voltage and stores and releases energy to an external
power receiver such as the microelectronic device.