Abstract
Localized refrigeration and power generation via thermoelectric technology rely on efficient thermoelectric materials with high performance at room temperature. Although the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG)-related materials exhibit ultrahigh thermoelectric performance near room temperature, such performance is only preserved at thicknesses within subnanometer scales, limited by the requirement of two-dimensional size confinements. Here we report ultrahigh thermoelectric performance similar to 2DEG-related materials but achieved in SrNb0.2Ti0.8O3 oxide films with a submicrometer-scale thickness by regulating strain-induced lattice polarizations and interfacial polarizations. A large figure of merit, zT, and power factor (∼102-103 μW cm-1 K-2) were achieved near room temperature, and the maximum zT is estimated to be ∼1.6 for a 49 nm thick film. These performances exceed those of the existing n-type thermoelectric materials for room-temperature uses and the reported best oxide materials beyond subnanometer scales. The earth-abundant elemental composition of the oxide film paves the way toward potential applications in thermoelectric thin film devices with a microscale thickness.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 915-921 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | ACS Energy Letters |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Apr 14 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Chemistry (miscellaneous)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Fuel Technology
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Materials Chemistry