Universal Curve of Optimum Thermoelectric Figures of Merit for Bulk and Low-Dimensional Semiconductors
Journal
Physical Review Applied
Journal Volume
9
Journal Issue
2
Start Page
024019
ISSN
23317019
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Abstract
This paper is a contribution to the Physical Review Applied collection in memory of Mildred S. Dresselhaus.Analytical formulas for thermoelectric figures of merit and power factors are derived based on the one-band model. We find that there is a direct relationship between the optimum figures of merit and the optimum power factors of semiconductors despite of the fact that the two quantities are generally given by different values of chemical potentials. By introducing a dimensionless parameter consisting of the optimum power factor and lattice thermal conductivity (without electronic thermal conductivity), it is possible to unify optimum figures of merit of both bulk and low-dimensional semiconductors into a single universal curve that covers many materials with different dimensionalities.
Subjects
Electric Power Factor
Thermoelectric Equipment
Dimensionless Parameters
Electronic Thermal Conductivity
Figures Of Merits
Lattice Thermal Conductivity
Low-dimensional Semiconductors
One-band Models
Physical Review
Universal Curve
Thermal Conductivity
Publisher
American Physical Society revtex@aps.org
Type
journal article