Thermoelectric transport in ${\text{Bi}}_2{\text{Te}}_3/{\text{Sb}}_2{\text{Te}}_3$ superlattices

Abstract

The thermoelectric transport properties of ${\text{Bi}}_2{\text{Te}}_3/{\text{Sb}}_2{\text{Te}}_3$superlattices are analyzed on the basis of first-principles calculations and semi-classical Boltzmann theory. The anisotropy of the thermoelectric transport under electron and hole-doping was studied in detail for different superlattice periods at changing temperature and charge carrier concentrations. A clear preference for thermoelectric transport under hole-doping, as well as for the in-plane transport direction was found for all superlattice periods. At hole-doping the electrical transport anisotropies remain bulk-like for all investigated systems, while under electron-doping quantum confinement leads to strong suppression of the cross-plane thermoelectric transport at several superlattice periods. In addition, insights on the Lorenz function, the electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity and the resulting figure of merit are given.

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• Designer topological insulator with enhanced gap and suppressed bulk conduction in Bi2Se3/Sb2Te3 ultra-short period superlattices
• Anomalous temperature dependence of optical and acoustic phonons in Bi${}_2$Se${}_3$ arising from stacking faults
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