0000000000339633
AUTHOR
Yanzhong Pei
showing 2 related works from this author
Phonon Scattering through a Local Anisotropic Structural Disorder in the Thermoelectric Solid Solution Cu_2Zn_(1−x)Fe_xGeSe_4
2013
Inspired by the promising thermoelectric properties of chalcopyrite-like quaternary chalcogenides, here we describe the synthesis and characterization of the solid solution Cu(2)Zn(1-x)Fe(x)GeSe(4). Upon substitution of Zn with the isoelectronic Fe, no charge carriers are introduced in these intrinsic semiconductors. However, a change in lattice parameters, expressed in an elongation of the c/a lattice parameter ratio with minimal change in unit cell volume, reveals the existence of a three-stage cation restructuring process of Cu, Zn, and Fe. The resulting local anisotropic structural disorder leads to phonon scattering not normally observed, resulting in an effective approach to reduce th…
Optimum Carrier Concentration in n-Type PbTe Thermoelectrics
2014
Taking La- and I-doped PbTe as an example, the current work shows the effects of optimizing the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT, by controlling the doping level. The high doping effectiveness allows the carrier concentration to be precisely designed and prepared to control the Fermi level. In addition to the Fermi energy tuning, La-doping modifies the conduction band, leading to an increase in the density of states effective mass that is confirmed by transport, infrared reflectance and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Taking such a band structure modification effect into account, the electrical transport properties can then be well-described by a self-consistent single…