Optimisation of the Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in Fine Grained Semiconductor Materials Based upon Lead Telluride,
Abstract
It has been reported that grain boundary scattering has a significant effect in reducing the lattice thermal conductivity of silicon germanium alloys. This phenomenon does not appear to be accompanied by a deterioration in the other parameters which occur in the thermoelectric figure of merit. Consequently, small grain size silicon germanium alloys exhibit a higher figure of merit than comparable 'single crystal' or large grain size material. Although grain boundary scattering of phonons is particularly favoured in silicon germanium alloys because the large difference in atomic masses of the constituent atoms give rise to substantial alloy disorder scattering, this phenomenon will also be present in other thermoelectric semiconductor alloys.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA148710
Entities
People
- C. M. Bhandari
- D. M. Rowe
Organizations
- University of Wales