Electronic tuning of the transport properties of off-stoichiometric Pb{sub x}Sn{sub 1−x}Te thermoelectric alloys by Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} doping

Journal Article · Fri Aug 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4928459· OSTI ID:22499252

Guttmann, Gilad M. ^[1]; Dadon, David ^[2]; Gelbstein, Yaniv ^[1]

---

1. The Unit of Energy Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel)
2. Department of Materials Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel)

The recent energy demands affected by the dilution of conventional energy resources and the growing awareness of environmental considerations had motivated many researchers to seek for novel renewable energy conversion methods. Thermoelectric direct conversion of thermal into electrical energies is such a method, in which common compositions include IV-VI semiconducting compounds (e.g., PbTe and SnTe) and their alloys. For approaching practical thermoelectric devices, the current research is focused on electronic optimization of off-stoichiometric p-type Pb{sub x}Sn{sub 1−x}Te alloys by tuning of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} doping and/or SnTe alloying levels, while avoiding the less mechanically favorable Na dopant. It was shown that upon such doping/alloying, higher ZTs, compared to those of previously reported undoped Pb{sub 0.5}Sn{sub 0.5}Te alloy, were obtained at temperatures lower than 210–340 °C, depending of the exact doping/alloying level. It was demonstrated that upon optimal grading of the carrier concentration, a maximal thermoelectric efficiency enhancement of ∼38%, compared to that of an undoped material, is expected.

• OSTI ID: 22499252
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2015 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
BISMUTH TELLURIDES
CRYSTAL DOPING
DILUTION
DOPED MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY DEMAND
LEAD ALLOYS
LEAD TELLURIDES
OPTIMIZATION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
STOICHIOMETRY
THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS
TIN ALLOYS
TIN TELLURIDES