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Lattice Strain Enhances Thermoelectric Properties in Sb 2 Te 3 /Te Heterostructure
Author(s) -
Wu Zhenhua,
Chen Xiang,
Mu Erzhen,
Liu Yang,
Che Zhanxun,
Dun Chaochao,
Sun Fangyuan,
Wang Xinwei,
Zhang Yanliang,
Hu Zhiyu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced electronic materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.25
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 2199-160X
DOI - 10.1002/aelm.201900735
Subject(s) - materials science , heterojunction , thermoelectric effect , high resolution transmission electron microscopy , raman spectroscopy , condensed matter physics , figure of merit , optoelectronics , transmission electron microscopy , nanotechnology , optics , thermodynamics , physics
An efficient way to improve thermoelectric (TE) performance of a system by adjusting the lattice strain (e.g., dislocation and nano‐interface) without changing its composition is reported in this study. By controlling the crystallization and growth of Te nanoparticles, a Sb 2 Te 3 /Te heterostructure with enhanced TE properties is obtained. The growth of Te nanoparticles as well as the introduced lattice strain is characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Raman, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy in details. In addition to the low thermal conductivity (κ ) caused by lattice strain, the resulting stress on the heterostructure may lead to a state near electronic topological transition that enhances the power factor ( PF ). As a result, the optimized figure‐of‐merit of the Sb 2 Te 3 /Te heterojunction reaches up to 0.61 at 300 K with PF and κ of 11.2 µW cm −1 K −2 and 0.55 W m −1 K −1 , respectively. This method can also be applied in other heterojunction systems to improve TE properties.