Abstract
A theoretical model for the electronic structure and transport properties of superlattice (SL) nanowires is presented, based on the electronic tunneling between quantum dots. Due to the periodic potential perturbation, SL nanowires exhibit unusual features in the electronic density of states that are absent in homogeneous nanowires. Transport property calculations of PbSe/PbS SL nanowires are presented, showing improved thermoelectric performance compared to homogeneous nanowires because of a lower lattice thermal conductivity and an enhanced Seebeck coefficient, indicating that SL nanowires are promising systems for thermoelectric applications.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. G. Dresselhaus, Prof. G. Chen, and Mr. C. Dames for valuable discussions. The support from MURI/UCLA subcontract 0205-G-BBBB853, NSF Grant DMR-01-16042, US Navy Contract N00014-02-1-0865, DARPA-HERETIC/Caltech-JPL Contract number 1237157, and ONR grant N00014-02-1-0865 are gratefully acknowledged.
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Lin, YM., Dresselhaus, M.S. Transport Properties of Superlattice Nanowires and Their Potential for Thermoelectric Applications. MRS Online Proceedings Library 737, 175 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-737-E17.5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-737-E17.5