No Arabic abstract
Lead and tin chalcogenides have been studied widely due to their promising thermoelectric (TE) properties. Further enhancement in their TE efficiency has been reported upon the reduction of the dimension, which is an important feature in modern device fabrications. Using density functional theory combined with the Semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory, we studied the structural, electronic and TE properties of two-dimensional (2D) MX (M = Sn, Pb; X = S, Te) monolayers. Spin-orbit coupling was found to have significant effects on their electronic structure, particularly for the heavy compounds. Structural optimization followed by phonon transport studies prevailed that the rectangular ({gamma}-) phase is energetically the most favorable for SnS and SnTe monolayers, whereas the square structure is found the most stable for PbS and PbTe monolayers. Our results are in good agreement with previous studies. These 2D materials exhibit high Seebeck coefficients and power factors along with low lattice thermal conductivities, which are essential features of good TE materials. The maximum figure of merits (ZT) of 1.04, 1.46, 1.51 and 1.94 are predicted for n-type SnS, SnTe, PBS and p-type PbTe monolayers respectively at 700 K, which are higher than their bulk ZT values. Hence, these monolayers are promising candidates for TE applications.
The layered Bi-chalcogenide compounds have been drawing much attention as a new layered superconductor family since 2012. Due to the rich variation of crystal structure and constituent elements, the development of new physics and chemistry of the layered Bi-chalcogenide family and its applications as functional materials have been expected. Recently, it was revealed that the layered Bi chalcogenides can show a relatively high thermoelectric performance (ZT = 0.36 in LaOBiSSe at ~650 K). Here, we show the crystal structure variation of the Bi-chalcogenide family and their thermoelectric properties. Finally, the possible strategies for enhancing the thermoelectric performance are discussed on the basis of the experimental and the theoretical facts reviewed here.
Recently, we reported [M. Wagner et al., J. Mater. Res. 26, 1886 (2011)] transport measurements on the semiconducting intermetallic system RuIn3 and its substitution derivatives RuIn_{3-x}A_{x} (A = Sn, Zn). Higher values of the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT = 0.45) compared to the parent compound were achieved by chemical substitution. Here, using density functional theory based calculations, we report on the microscopic picture behind the measured phenomenon. We show in detail that the electronic structure of the substitution variants of the intermetallic system RuIn_{3-x}A_{x} (A = Sn, Zn) changes in a rigid-band like fashion. This behavior makes possible the fine tuning of the substitution concentration to take advantage of the sharp peak-like features in the density of states of the semiconducting parent compound. Trends in the transport properties calculated using the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equations within the constant scattering time approximation are in good agreement with the former experimental results for RuIn_{3-x}Sn_{x}. Based on the calculated thermopower for the p-doped systems, we reinvestigated the Zn-substituted derivative and obtained ZnO-free RuIn_{3-x}Zn_{x}. The new experimental results are consistent with the calculated trend in thermopower and yield large zT value of 0.8.
We present the studies of Sn/1-x/Cr/x/Te semimagnetic semiconductors with chemical composition x ranging from 0.004 to 0.012. The structural characterization indicates that even at low average Cr-content x < ?0.012, the aggregation into micrometer size clusters appears in our samples. The magnetic properties are affected by the presence of clusters. In all our samples we observe the transition into the ordered state at temperatures between 130 and 140 K. The analysis of both static and dynamic magnetic susceptibility data indicates that the spin-glass-like state is observed in our samples. The addition of Cr to the alloy seems to shift the spin-glass-like transition from 130 K for x = 0.004 to 140 K for x = 0.012.
In the present study, the structural, electronic, optical and thermoelectric properties of two isostructural chalcogenide materials, NaInS2 and NaInSe2 with hexagonal symmetry (R-3m) have been studied using the first principles method. A very good agreement has been found between our results with the available experimental and theoretical ones. The studied materials are semiconducting in nature as confirmed from the electronic band structure and optical properties.The strong hybridizations among s orbitals of Na, In and Se atoms push the bottom of the conduction band downward resulting in a narrower band gap of NaInSe2 compared to that of NaInS2 compound. Different optical (dielectric function, photoconductivity, absorption coefficient, reflectivity, refractive index and loss function) and thermoelectric (Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, power factor and thermal conductivity) properties of NaInX2 (X = S, Se) have been studied in detail for the first time. It is found that all these properties are significantly anisotropic due to the strongly layered structure of NaInX2 (X = S, Se). Strong optical absorption with sharp peaks is found in the far visible to mid ultraviolet (UV) regions while the reflectivity is low in the UV region for both the compounds. Such features indicate feasibility of applications in optoelectronic sector.The calculated thermoelectric power factors at 1000 K for NaInS2 and NaInSe2 along a-axis are found to be 151.5 micro Watt /cmK2 and 154 micro Watt/cmK2, respectively and the corresponding ZT values are ~0.70. The obtained thermal conductivity along a-axis for both compounds is high (~22 W/mK).This suggests that the reduction of such high thermal conductivity is important to achieve higher ZT values of the NaInX2(X = S, Se) compounds.
First-principle calculations with different exchange-correlation functionals, including LDA, PBE and vdW-DF functional in form of optB88-vdW, have been performed to investigate the electronic and elastic properties of two dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs) with the formula of MX$_2$(M=Mo,W; X=O,S,Se,Te) in both monolayer and bilayer structures. The calculated band structures show a direct band gap for monolayer TMDCs at the K point except for MoO$_2$ and WO$_2$. When the monolayers are stacked into bilayer, the reduced indirect band gaps are found except for bilayer WTe$_2$, in which direct gap is still present at the K point. The calculated in-plane Young moduli are comparable to graphene, which promises the possible application of TMDCs in future flexible and stretchable electronic devices. We also evaluated the performance of different functionals including LDA, PBE, and optB88-vdW in describing elastic moduli of TMDCs and found that LDA seems to be the most qualified method. Moreover, our calculations suggest that the Young moduli for bilayers are insensitive to stacking orders and the mechanical coupling between monolayers seems to be negligible.