Hot carrier filtering in solution processed heterostructures: a paradigm for improving thermoelectric efficiency.

Zhang, Yichi; Bahk, Je-Hyeong; Lee, Joun; Birkel, Christina S; Snedaker, Matthew L; Liu, Deyu; Zeng, Hongmei; Moskovits, Martin et al. · Adv Mater · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

An approach based on a solution-based synthesis that produces a thermally stable Ag/oxide/S₂ Te₃ -Te metal-semiconductor heterostructure is described. With this approach, a figure of merit of zT = 1.0 at 460 K is achieved, a record for a heterostructured material made using wet chemistry. Combining experiments and theory shows that the large increase in the material's Seebeck coefficient results from hot carrier filtering.