• Milestone

Effect of quantum-well structures on the thermoelectric figure of merit

L. D. Hicks and M. S. Dresselhaus
Phys. Rev. B 47, 12727 – Published 15 May 1993
An article within the collection: Physical Review B 50th Anniversary Milestones
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Abstract

Currently the materials with the highest thermoelectric figure of merit Z are Bi2Te3 alloys. Therefore these compounds are the best thermoelectric refrigeration elements. However, since the 1960s only slow progress has been made in enhancing Z, either in Bi2Te3 alloys or in other thermoelectric materials. So far, the materials used in applications have all been in bulk form. In this paper, it is proposed that it may be possible to increase Z of certain materials by preparing them in quantum-well superlattice structures. Calculations have been done to investigate the potential for such an approach, and also to evaluate the effect of anisotropy on the figure of merit. The calculations show that layering has the potential to increase significantly the figure of merit of a highly anisotropic material such as Bi2Te3, provided that the superlattice multilayers are made in a particular orientation. This result opens the possibility of using quantum-well superlattice structures to enhance the performance of thermoelectric coolers.

  • Received 3 December 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.47.12727

©1993 American Physical Society

Collections

This article appears in the following collection:

Physical Review B 50th Anniversary Milestones

These Milestone studies represent lasting contributions to physics by way of reporting significant discoveries, initiating new areas of research, or substantially enhancing the conceptual tools for making progress in the burgeoning field of condensed matter physics.

Authors & Affiliations

L. D. Hicks

  • Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

M. S. Dresselhaus

  • Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

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Issue

Vol. 47, Iss. 19 — 15 May 1993

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