Silicon nanowires as efficient thermoelectric materials

Nature
Akram I BoukaiJames R Heath

Abstract

Thermoelectric materials interconvert thermal gradients and electric fields for power generation or for refrigeration. Thermoelectrics currently find only niche applications because of their limited efficiency, which is measured by the dimensionless parameter ZT-a function of the Seebeck coefficient or thermoelectric power, and of the electrical and thermal conductivities. Maximizing ZT is challenging because optimizing one physical parameter often adversely affects another. Several groups have achieved significant improvements in ZT through multi-component nanostructured thermoelectrics, such as Bi(2)Te(3)/Sb(2)Te(3) thin-film superlattices, or embedded PbSeTe quantum dot superlattices. Here we report efficient thermoelectric performance from the single-component system of silicon nanowires for cross-sectional areas of 10 nm x 20 nm and 20 nm x 20 nm. By varying the nanowire size and impurity doping levels, ZT values representing an approximately 100-fold improvement over bulk Si are achieved over a broad temperature range, including ZT approximately 1 at 200 K. Independent measurements of the Seebeck coefficient, the electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity, combined with theory, indicate that the improved efficie...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1992·Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter·D G CahillR O Pohl
Jun 15, 1993·Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter·L D Hicks, M S Dresselhaus
Mar 10, 1986·Physical Review Letters·R TrzcinskiH J Queisser
Oct 12, 2001·Nature·R VenkatasubramanianB O'Quinn
Jul 23, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·G D Mahan, J O Sofo
Sep 28, 2002·Science·T C HarmanB E LaForge
Mar 15, 2003·Science·Nicholas A MeloshJames R Heath
Feb 3, 2004·Physical Review Letters·Joshua P SmallPhilip Kim
Feb 7, 2004·Science·Kuei Fang HsuMercouri G Kanatzidis
Mar 24, 2005·Physical Review Letters·T E Humphrey, H Linke
Aug 7, 2007·Physical Review Letters·R Maranganti, P Sharma

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 16, 2010·Nanoscale Research Letters·Moongyu JangTaehyoung Zyung
Jun 8, 2010·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Jiaqing HeVinayak P Dravid
Aug 30, 2011·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Guoxing ZhuXiaoping Shen
Sep 10, 2011·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Steven N GirardMercouri G Kanatzidis
Oct 6, 2011·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Julien P A MakongoPierre F P Poudeu
Sep 14, 2011·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Feng-Jia FanZhifeng Ren
Dec 14, 2012·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Seungwook KimWoong Kim
Jun 11, 2009·Journal of the American Chemical Society·David T SchoenYi Cui
Mar 12, 2010·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Chi-Te HuangZhong Lin Wang
Jun 3, 2011·Nano Letters·Sebastian SchäferAlf Mews
Jul 13, 2011·Nano Letters·Clemens ZeinerEmmerich Bertagnolli
Apr 13, 2012·Nano Letters·G StanR F Cook
May 19, 2012·Nano Letters·Jeffrey M WeisseXiaolin Zheng
Oct 31, 2012·Nano Letters·Ming Hu, Dimos Poulikakos
Jan 18, 2013·Nano Letters·Liang-Xing LuYong-Wei Zhang
Feb 12, 2013·Nano Letters·Pierre-Adrien ManteChi-Kuang Sun
Aug 8, 2013·Nano Letters·Phillip M WuHeiner Linke
Oct 22, 2013·Nano Letters·Benjamin M CurtinJohn E Bowers
May 23, 2012·ACS Nano·Chih-Yen ChenZhong Lin Wang
Mar 22, 2012·Nature Communications·Weiwei LinStéphane Mangin

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.