Modeling of the thermoelectric properties of {ital p}-type IrSb{sub 3}
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology 4800, Oak Grove Drive, MS 277-212, Pasadena, California 91109 (United States)
IrSb{sub 3} is a compound of the skutterudite family of materials now being investigated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). A combination of experimental and theoretical approaches has been recently applied at JPL to evaluate the potential of several thermoelectric materials such as {ital n}-type and {ital p}-type Si{sub 80}Ge{sub 20} alloys, {ital n}-type and {ital p}-type Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}-based alloys and {ital p}-type Ru{sub 2}Ge{sub 3} compound. The use of a comprehensive model for the thermal and electrical transport properties of a given material over its full temperature range of usefulness is a powerful tool for guiding experimental optimization of the composition, temperature and doping level as well as for predicting the maximum {ital ZT} value likely to be achieved. Expressions for all the transport properties of thermoelectric semiconductors were derived from the Boltzmann`s transport equation, using the relaxation time approximation. This widely used method has been employed with Fermi statistics to calculate carrier mobility, electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, Hall coefficient, Seebeck coefficient, electronic and bipolar contribution to the thermal conductivity as well as other transport coefficients in {ital p}-type IrSb{sub 3}. Effects of minority carrier conduction was taken into account and the two most common carrier scattering mechanisms usually necessary to describe the transport properties in these heavy doping conditions were selected--acoustic phonon scattering and ionized impurity scattering. Determination of the lattice thermal conductivity of IrSb{sub 3} was conducted by considering phonon--phonon, carrier--phonon, and point defect scattering mechanisms. Calculations for the introduction of resonant scattering impurities and ultrafine inert scattering centers have also been performed to evaluate possible additional improvements in {ital ZT}.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 172165
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940830-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 96:003255
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 316, Issue 1; Conference: 13. international conference on thermoelectrics, Kansas City, MO (United States), 30 Aug - 1 Sep 1994; Other Information: PBD: 10 Aug 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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