High performance Si thermoelectric material design based on phonon-carrier wave control in novel heteronanostructures

In this study, we are aiming at the Si-based thermoelectric materials based on the integration between phonon scattering nanostructure and transport-controlled superlattice, where the low thermal conductivity and high power factor are expected. We succeed in high electronic state degeneracy of conduction band and low barrier at the interface by the interface control, resulting in the high power factor in the n-type SiGe type superlattice. Furthermore, the interface control reduces the thermal conductivity through the phonon scattering. Simple device structure is fabricated. This study opens a road to realization of the Si-based thermoelectric materials.