Issue 2, 2020

Fermi-surface dynamics and high thermoelectric performance along the out-of-plane direction in n-type SnSe crystals

Abstract

The layered chalcogenide SnSe has attracted great interest for its remarkable ZT records. Here, we report the excellent thermoelectric performance of n-type SnSe single crystals by alloying with PbBr2, where a maximum ZT of 2.1 at 770 K is achieved along the out-of-plane direction. Interestingly, we observed a sharp drop of the carrier mobility at PbBr2 content x = 3%, which terminates the continuous increase of ZT from x = 0.5% to x = 2%. It is shown that the anomalous decrease is due to the evolution of the Fermi surface driven by the enlargement of the out-of-plane axis. When 1% Sn is substituted by Ge, the restoration of the Fermi surface increases the ZT for the x = 3% sample by 200%. This study reveals the crucial role of the Fermi-surface dynamics in n-type SnSe, and the consequent strategy is confirmed to be highly efficient in the optimization of thermoelectric performance.

Graphical abstract: Fermi-surface dynamics and high thermoelectric performance along the out-of-plane direction in n-type SnSe crystals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Dec 2019
Accepted
15 Jan 2020
First published
16 Jan 2020

Energy Environ. Sci., 2020,13, 616-621

Fermi-surface dynamics and high thermoelectric performance along the out-of-plane direction in n-type SnSe crystals

L. Mao, Y. Yin, Q. Zhang, G. Liu, H. Wang, Z. Guo, H. Hu, Y. Xiao, X. Tan and J. Jiang, Energy Environ. Sci., 2020, 13, 616 DOI: 10.1039/C9EE03897C

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