a system and method for fabricating a thermoelectric cooling device and a semiconductor device using such a tec device are described . adhesive - containing support structures are used to secure , respectively , positively - doped and negatively - doped tec elements . the elements are intermeshed and an encapsulating material is applied to the intermeshed array . the support structures are then released and the ends of the encapsulated elements are smoothed and electrically coupled together . if desired , panels are secured to the ends of the elements and a heat sink may also be provided . the tec device may be used to control and / or tune a laser device .