SILICON-BASED THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS INCLUDING ISOELECTRONIC IMPURITIES

摘要

Silicon-based thermoelectric materials including isoelectronic impurities, thermoelectric devices based on such materials, and methods of making and using same are provided. According to one embodiment, a thermoelectric material includes silicon and one or more isoelectronic impurity atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead disposed within the silicon in an amount sufficient to scatter thermal phonons propagating through the silicon and below a saturation limit of the one or more isoelectronic impurity atoms in the silicon. In one example, the thermoelectric material also includes germanium atoms disposed within the silicon in an amount sufficient to scatter thermal phonons propagating through the silicon and below a saturation limit of germanium in the silicon. Each of the one or more isoelectronic impurity atoms and the germanium atoms can independently substitute for a silicon atom or can be disposed within an interstice of the silicon.