Lattice thermal conductivity of nanostructured thermoelectric materials based on PbTe

Yee Kan Koh, C. J. Vineis, S. D. Calawa, M. P. Walsh, David G. Cahill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We report the through-thickness lattice thermal conductivity l of (PbTe) 1-x / (PbSe) x nanodot superlattices (NDSLs) over a wide range of periods 5 nmh50 nm, compositions 0.15x0.25, growth temperatures 550 K Tg 620 K, and growth rates 1 μm h-1 R4 μm h-1. All of our measurements approach l of bulk homogenous PbTe1-x Sex alloys with the same average composition. For 5 nmh50 nm, l is independent of h; a result we attribute to short mean-free paths of phonons in PbTe and small acoustic impedance mismatch between PbTe/PbSe. We alloyed the PbTe layers of four NDSLs with SnTe up to a mole fraction y=18%; l is reduced by <25%.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number153101
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume94
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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