Seebeck Enhancement Through Miniband Conduction in III–V Semiconductor Superlattices at Low Temperatures

Abstract

We present theoretically that the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient of InGaAs/ InGaAlAs III-V semiconductor superlattices can be significantly enhanced through miniband transport at low temperatures. The miniband dispersion curves are calculated by self-consistently solving the Schrodinger equation with the periodic potential, and the Poisson equation taking into account the charge transfer between the two layers. Boltzmann transport in the relaxa- tion-time approximation is used to calculate the thermoelectric transport properties in the cross-plane direction based on the modified density of states and group velocity. It is found that the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient can be enhanced more than 60% over the bulk values at an equivalent doping level at 80 K when the Fermi level is aligned at an edge of the minibands. Other thermoelectric transport properties are also calculated and discussed to fur- ther enhance the thermoelectric power factor.