Very high thermopower of bi nanowires with embedded quantum point contacts

Eyal Shapira; Amir Holtzman; Debora Marchak; Yoram Selzer

doi:10.1021/nl2038425

Very high thermopower of bi nanowires with embedded quantum point contacts

Eyal Shapira
, Amir Holtzman
, Debora Marchak
, Yoram Selzer

Tel Aviv University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Quantum confinement effects in bismuth (Bi) nanowires (NWs) are predicted to impart them with high thermopower values and hence make them efficient thermoelectric materials. Yet, boundary scattering of charge carriers in these NWs operating in the diffusion transport regime mask any quantum effects and impede their use for nanoscale thermoelectric applications. Here we demonstrate quantum confinement effects in Bi NWs by forming in their structure ballistic quantum point contacts (QPCs) leading to exceptionally high thermopower values (S > 2 mV/K). The power factor, S ²G, of the QPCs is maximized at G ∼ 0.25G ₀ (where G ₀ is the quantum of conductance) within agreement with a one-band model with step edge characteristics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	808-812
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nano Letters
Volume	12
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/nl2038425
State	Published - 8 Feb 2012

Keywords

Seebeck coefficient
Thermopower
nanowires
quantum confinement
quantum point contact

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
General Chemistry
General Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Mechanical Engineering

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10.1021/nl2038425

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abstract = "Quantum confinement effects in bismuth (Bi) nanowires (NWs) are predicted to impart them with high thermopower values and hence make them efficient thermoelectric materials. Yet, boundary scattering of charge carriers in these NWs operating in the diffusion transport regime mask any quantum effects and impede their use for nanoscale thermoelectric applications. Here we demonstrate quantum confinement effects in Bi NWs by forming in their structure ballistic quantum point contacts (QPCs) leading to exceptionally high thermopower values (S > 2 mV/K). The power factor, S 2G, of the QPCs is maximized at G ∼ 0.25G 0 (where G 0 is the quantum of conductance) within agreement with a one-band model with step edge characteristics.",

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author = "Eyal Shapira and Amir Holtzman and Debora Marchak and Yoram Selzer",

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AU - Shapira, Eyal

AU - Holtzman, Amir

AU - Marchak, Debora

AU - Selzer, Yoram

PY - 2012/2/8

Y1 - 2012/2/8

N2 - Quantum confinement effects in bismuth (Bi) nanowires (NWs) are predicted to impart them with high thermopower values and hence make them efficient thermoelectric materials. Yet, boundary scattering of charge carriers in these NWs operating in the diffusion transport regime mask any quantum effects and impede their use for nanoscale thermoelectric applications. Here we demonstrate quantum confinement effects in Bi NWs by forming in their structure ballistic quantum point contacts (QPCs) leading to exceptionally high thermopower values (S > 2 mV/K). The power factor, S 2G, of the QPCs is maximized at G ∼ 0.25G 0 (where G 0 is the quantum of conductance) within agreement with a one-band model with step edge characteristics.

AB - Quantum confinement effects in bismuth (Bi) nanowires (NWs) are predicted to impart them with high thermopower values and hence make them efficient thermoelectric materials. Yet, boundary scattering of charge carriers in these NWs operating in the diffusion transport regime mask any quantum effects and impede their use for nanoscale thermoelectric applications. Here we demonstrate quantum confinement effects in Bi NWs by forming in their structure ballistic quantum point contacts (QPCs) leading to exceptionally high thermopower values (S > 2 mV/K). The power factor, S 2G, of the QPCs is maximized at G ∼ 0.25G 0 (where G 0 is the quantum of conductance) within agreement with a one-band model with step edge characteristics.

KW - Seebeck coefficient

KW - Thermopower

KW - nanowires

KW - quantum confinement

KW - quantum point contact

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84856956591

U2 - 10.1021/nl2038425

DO - 10.1021/nl2038425

M3 - Article

SN - 1530-6984

VL - 12

SP - 808

EP - 812

JO - Nano Letters

JF - Nano Letters

IS - 2

ER -

Very high thermopower of bi nanowires with embedded quantum point contacts

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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