Thermal Conductivity Reduction and Thermoelectric Figure of Merit Increase by Embedding Nanoparticles in Crystalline Semiconductors

PDF versionPDF versionPrinter-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version
Publication Type  Journal Article
Year of Publication  2006
Authors  Kim, W.; Zide, J.; Gossard, A.; Klenov, D.; Stemmer, S.; Shakouri, A.; Majumdar, A.
Journal Title  Physical Review Letters
Volume  96
Pagination  045901-4
Key Words  thermal conductivity; thermoelectricity; nanoparticles; indium compounds; gallium arsenide; III-V semiconductors; erbium alloys; arsenic alloys; phonon-defect interactions; point defect scattering
Abstract  

Atomic substitution in alloys can efficiently scatter phonons, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity in crystalline solids to the "alloy limit." Using In0.53Ga0.47As containing ErAs nanoparticles, we demonstrate thermal conductivity reduction by almost a factor of 2 below the alloy limit and a corresponding increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit by a factor of 2. A theoretical model suggests that while point defects in alloys efficiently scatter short-wavelength phonons, the ErAs nanoparticles provide an additional scattering mechanism for the mid-to-long-wavelength phonons.©2006 The American Physical Society

Notes  

2007 Goldsmid Award Winner

URL  http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v96/e045901
Export  Tagged XML BibTex