A solid state thermoelectric converter includes a thermally insulating
separator layer, a semiconducting collector and an electron emitter. The
electron emitter comprises a metal nanoparticle layer or plurality of
metal nanocatalyst particles disposed on one side of said separator
layer. A first electrically conductive lead is electrically coupled to
the electron emitter. The collector layer is disposed on the other side
of the separator layer, wherein the thickness of the separator layer is
less than 1 .mu.m. A second conductive lead is electrically coupled to
the collector layer.