journal article·2019-02-27Open access

Super Large Sn1–xSe Single Crystals with Excellent Thermoelectric Performance

Min Jin, Xiao-Lei Shi, Tianli Feng, Weidi Liu, Haifeng Feng, Sokrates T. Pantelides, Jun Jiang, Yunxia Chen, Yi Du, Jin Zou, Zhi-Gang Chen

Abstract

SnSe single crystals have drawn extensive attention for their ultralow thermal conductivity and outstanding thermoelectric performance. Here, we report super large Sn1–xSe single crystals with excellent thermoelectric properties, fabricated via an advanced horizontal Bridgman technique with great yield and high reproducibility. The obtained single crystals have a super large size of ∼70 × 50 × 15 mm with a considerable weight of 148 g, which leads to a record-high mass density of >6.1 g cm–3. Extensive chemical characterization demonstrates that ∼0.3% Sn vacancies are present, which results in a large concentration of holes, ∼1.2 × 1019 cm–3, and an enhanced power factor of ∼6.1 μW cm–1 K–2 at 793 K. Simultaneously, the Sn-vacancy-induced lattice distortions result in a low thermal conductivity of ∼0.39 W m–1 K–1 at 793 K, leading to a competitive ZT of ∼1.24. This work demonstrates that large-size off-stoichiometric SnSe single crystals hold promise to achieve high thermoelectric performance.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Thermoelectric Materials and Devices · Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films · Heusler alloys: electronic and magnetic properties

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

College of Materials, Shanghai Dianji University, Shanghai 201306, P R China

Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, P R China

Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States

Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States

Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia

Centre for Future Materials, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, QLD 4300, Australia

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai · Vanderbilt University · Department of Education and Training · Australian Research Council · U.S. Department of Energy · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Zhejiang Province

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