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Thermoelectric power factor enhancement in metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by ionized nanoparticle scattering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2011

Je-Hyeong Bahk ,
Zhixi Bian ,
Mona Zebarjadi ,
Parthi Santhanam ,
Rajeev Ram  and
Ali Shakouri
Je-Hyeong Bahk
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, U.S.A.
Zhixi Bian
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, U.S.A.
Mona Zebarjadi
Affiliation:
Department of Material Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
Parthi Santhanam
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
Rajeev Ram
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, U.S.A.
Ali Shakouri
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, U.S.A.
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Abstract

We present a theoretical investigation of the thermoelectric power factor enhancement in metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by the energy dependent electron scattering from ionized nanoparticles. The metal nanoparticles embedded in semiconductors can be ionized to donate electrons to the matrix, which will result in a Coulomb potential tail around the nanoparticles. Here we show the significant effect of slowly varying potential tails on thermoelectric properties of the nanocomposites. The Coulomb potential is different from that of the conventional ionized impurities due to the finite size of the ionized particles, and the fact that the nanoparticles can give multiple electrons to the matrix. Detailed calculations for scattering rates and thermoelectric coefficients are presented for ErAs semi-metallic nanoparticles in InGaAs semiconductors. The partial wave method is used to consider the exact potential profile around nanoparticles and Boltzmann transport equation is used to calculate the transport coefficients. We find that an increase by 15~30% in power factor can be achieved over a wide temperature range in these material systems in addition to the thermal conductivity reduction to further enhance ZT.

Keywords

thermoelectricnanostructureenergy generation
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1329: Symposium I – Nanoscale Heat Transfer–Thermoelectrics, Thermophotovoltaics and Emerging Thermal Devices , 2011 , mrss11-1329-i05-05
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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