Thermoelectric properties of ballistic Normal–Weyl semimetal-Normal junction

Abstract

Weyl semimetals are a new class of topological materials possessing outstanding physical properties. We investigate the thermoelectric properties of a ballistic Weyl semimetal specimen connected to two normal contacts. We introduce a model to evaluate the thermoelectric coefficients of the junction and analyze its features along two distinct directions, one along the chiral axis of the Weyl semimetal and the other perpendicular to it. We demonstrate that the thermoelectric response of this junction depends on whether it is along the chiral axis of the Weyl semimetal or not. Electrical and thermal conductances of this junction reveal considerable dependence on the length and chemical potential of the Weyl semimetal layer. In particular, we observe that, decreasing the chemical potential in the normal contacts enhances the Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric figure of merit of the junction to substantial values. Hence, we unveil that a ballistic junction of Weyl semimetal can serve as a fundamental segment for application in future thermoelectric devices for thermal energy harvesting.