A method for making a thermoelectric microstructure includes: forming an insulating substrate; forming, on the substrate, a first assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements extending in parallel and in a first direction from first to second connection areas, and having a first Seebeck coefficient; forming, on the substrate, a second assembly of conductor or semiconductor elements electrically insulated from the first assembly and extending in parallel and in a second direction other than the first one, from the first to second connection areas, and having a second Seebeck coefficient other than the first one; providing, in the first and second connection areas, electric connection elements, each of which electrically connects at least one element of first and second assemblies; two conductor or semiconductor elements of a single assembly are separated in a predetermined direction by a predetermined average distance in the connection areas.