Disorder-Induced Anderson-Like Localization for Bidimensional Thermoelectrics Optimization

Abstract

Thermoelectric materials, which can generate electricity from waste heat or be used as solid-state Peltier coolers, couldplay an important role in global sustainable energy. However, improving thermoelectric efficiency has proven difficult, largelydue to the complex interdependence of electronic properties of solids. Early work by Ioffe has developed into the standardthermoelectric optimization paradigm of tuning the electronic carrier concentration in semiconductors. Although the localizationtheory of electrons by Anderson and Mott has developed in parallel, its potential for thermoelectrics optimization has notbeen explored. Here, we show that electron localization induced by structural disorder also provides an effective optimizationstrategy for thermoelectric materials. By using a transport model that includes the relevant physics of localization it is shownthat the maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit can be increased ~20% by tuning both carrier concentration and disorder.This approach is demonstrated in two model Ge-Sb-Te material systems and confirms that the peak figure-of-merit occursin slightly disordered materials. Particularly for highly degenerate semiconductors this bidimensional optimization strategyprovides a new methodology to attain high thermoelectric performance.