NOVELTY - Combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device comprises: photovoltaic cell (30) with common electrode (32); electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer (54) on common electrode; array (25) of spaced thermoelectric couples (38a, 38b) including spaced p-type (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d) and n-type (42a, 42b, 42c) semiconductor elements; electrically conductive bridge (44a, 44b) for each couple on electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer; and thermally conductive, low electrically conductive filler (39a, 39b, 39a', 39b') in spaces between semiconductor elements and couples.    USE - As combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device (claimed) e.g. solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device provides improvements for such hybrid device of the prior art suffering from disadvantages that efficiency of photovoltaic cell decreases as its temperature increases; while thermoelectric efficiency, on the other hand, increases as temperature differences increase; and are also associated with cost and manufacturability issues. In the improved combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device, thermoelectric subsystem is added to a photovoltaic cell to both cool and thus increase efficiency of photovoltaic cell and also to increase electrical output of overall system. The hybrid system is also cost effective to manufacture. The array of thermoelectric couples and heat sink can be added directly to commercially available solar cell using a variety of manufacturing techniques not previously employed in fabricating such hybrid systems. It was observed that during modeling of combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic structure, particularly for high temperature applications such as solar concentrators, photovoltaic module experiences undesirable lateral temperature gradients, and which can cause cracking or warping of photovoltaic module. To address these undesirable lateral temperature gradients, thermally conductive filler is disposed between semiconductor elements of each thermoelectric couple, and between adjacent couples. The filler material or compound extends between bridge and electrically insulative thermally conductive layer, and spaces between semiconductor elements of two adjacent thermoelectric couples may only be partially filled with filler material. Conventional thermoelectric designs and hybrid devices are often gas filled to maximize thermal gradient through thickness of device. High efficiency solar cells, however, require less than 1 degrees C lateral thermal gradient. A thick ceramic plate can be used as a heat spreader to address the lateral gradient, but a thick ceramic plate is not desirable because it introduces a thermal interface. The filler material used in the device addresses lateral temperature gradient problem and yet does not provide too much of thermal interface and also provides electrical and environmental insulation. The combined device thus results in integrated system, where thermoelectric array and heat sink are added to photovoltaic cell to both cool and thus increase the efficiency of the photovoltaic cell and also to increase electrical output of the overall system. Cost effective techniques are preferably used to mass manufacture hybrid systems. In higher temperature applications, the thermally conductive filler in spaces between the semiconductor elements prevents damage to photovoltaic cell.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device comprises: photovoltaic cell (30) with common electrode (32); electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer (54) applied to common electrode; array (25) of spaced thermoelectric couples (38a, 38b) each including p-type semiconductor element (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d) spaced from n-type semiconductor element (42a, 42b, 42c); electrically conductive bridge (44a, 44b) for each thermoelectric couple formed on electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer; and thermally conductive, low electrically conductive filler (39a, 39b, 39a', 39b') in spaces between semiconductor elements and thermoelectric couples. The device further includes cold plate; second electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer applied to cold plate; electrically conductive bridges electrically connecting adjacent thermoelectric couples formed on second electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer; and filler disposed between first and second electrically insulative, thermally conductive layers. The electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer includes aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, ceramic material, glass, or polymeric material. The electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer includes electrodes electrically connected to bridges. The p-type semiconductors include bismuth telluride. The n-type semiconductor elements include antimony telluride. The device further includes metallization between thermoelectric couples and their respective bridges. The filler includes ceramic, filled or unfilled polymer, or sol-gel compounds. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for making combined thermoelectric/photovoltaic device involving: applying first electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer to common electrode of photovoltaic cell; forming array of spaced electrically conductive bridges on first electrically insulative, thermally conductive layer; fabricating p-type semiconductor elements and n-type semiconductor elements; securing thermoelectric couple to each bridge, each couple including p-type semiconductor element spaced from n-type semiconductor element; and filling spaces between thermoelectric couples and semiconductor elements with thermally conductive, low electrically conductive filler.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows schematic cross-sectional front view of combined photovoltaic/thermoelectric device.    Array of spaced thermoelectric couples in thermoelectric module (25)    Photovoltaic cell/module (30)    Common metal electrode (32)    Thermoelectric couples (38a, 38b)    Thermally conductive filler disposed between semiconductor elements of each thermoelectric couple (39a, 39a', 39b')    Thermally conductive filler disposed between adjacent couples (39b)    P-type semiconductor element (40a, 40b, 40c, 40d)    N-type semiconductor element (42a, 42b, 42c)    Electrically conductive bridge (44a, 44b)    Cold plate (50)    Fins for cooling cold plate (52)    Electrically insulative thermally conductive layer (54)    Bridge that electrically connects two thermoelectric couples (56a)