High thermoelectric efficiency in lanthanum doped Yb14MnSb11
Abstract
Lanthanum doping of the high-temperature p-type thermoelectric material Yb14MnSb11 enhances the figure of merit (zT) through carrier concentration tuning. This is achieved by substituting La3+ on the Yb2+ site to reduce the free hole concentration as expected from the change in valence. The high-temperature transport properties (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, Hall mobility, and thermal conductivity) of Yb13.6La0.4MnSb11 are explained by the change in carrier concentration using a simple rigid parabolic band model, similar to that found in Yb14Mn1-xAlxSb11. Together, use of these two dopant sites enables the partial decoupling of electronic and structural properties in Yb14MnSb11-based materials.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.2970089
- Bibcode:
- 2008ApPhL..93f2110T
- Keywords:
-
- 72.15.Jf;
- 61.72.up;
- 61.66.Dk;
- 72.15.Gd;
- 72.15.Eb;
- Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects;
- Other materials;
- Alloys;
- Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects;
- Electrical and thermal conduction in crystalline metals and alloys