Abstract

The efficiency of thermoelectric energy converters is limited by the material thermoelectric figure of merit ( zT ). The recent advances in zT based on nanostructures limiting the phonon heat conduction is nearing a fundamental limit: The thermal conductivity cannot be reduced below the amorphous limit. We explored enhancing the Seebeck coefficient through a distortion of the electronic density of states and report a successful implementation through the use of the thallium impurity levels in lead telluride (PbTe). Such band structure engineering results in a doubling of zT in p -type PbTe to above 1.5 at 773 kelvin. Use of this new physical principle in conjunction with nanostructuring to lower the thermal conductivity could further enhance zT and enable more widespread use of thermoelectric systems.

Keywords

Thermoelectric effectCondensed matter physicsMaterials scienceLead tellurideThermal conductivityThermoelectric materialsSeebeck coefficientThermal conductionDensity of statesTellurideFigure of meritEngineering physicsOptoelectronicsThermodynamicsDopingPhysics

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Year
2008
Type
article
Volume
321
Issue
5888
Pages
554-557
Citations
3938
Access
Closed

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Joseph P. Heremans, Vladimir Jovovic, Eric S. Toberer et al. (2008). Enhancement of Thermoelectric Efficiency in PbTe by Distortion of the Electronic Density of States. Science , 321 (5888) , 554-557. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1159725

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DOI
10.1126/science.1159725