Low-Symmetry Rhombohedral GeTe Thermoelectrics
Date Published |
05/2018
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Publication Type | Journal Article
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Authors | |
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DOI |
10.1016/j.joule.2018.02.016
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Abstract |
Thermoelectric materials enable a heat flow to be directly converted to a flow of charge carriers for generating electricity. The crystal structure symmetry is one of the most fundamental parameters determining the properties of a crystalline material including thermoelectrics. The common belief currently held is that high-symmetry materials are usually good for thermoelectrics, leading to great efforts having historically been focused on GeTe alloys in a high-symmetry cubic structure. Here we show a slight reduction of crystal structure symmetry of GeTe alloys from cubic to rhombohedral, enabling a rearrangement in electronic bands for more transporting channels of charge carriers and many imperfections for more blocking centers of heat-energy carriers (phonons). This leads to the discovery of rhombohedral GeTe alloys as the most efficient thermoelectric materials to date, opening new possibilities for low-symmetry thermoelectric materials. |
Journal |
Joule
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Volume |
2
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Year of Publication |
2018
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Issue |
5
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Pagination |
976 - 987
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ISSN Number |
25424351
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Short Title |
Joule
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Refereed Designation |
Refereed
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Organizations | |
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