ABSTRACTThermoelectric properties of low dimensional structures based on PbTe/PbSrTe-multiple quantum-well (MQW)-structures with regard to the structural dimensions, doping profiles and levels are presented. Interband transition energies and barrier band-gap are determined from IR-transmission spectra and compared with Kronig-Penney calculations. The influence of the data evaluation method to obtain the 2D power factor will be discussed. The thermoelectrical data of our layers show a more modest enhancement in the power factor σS2 compared with former publications and are in good agreement with calculated data from Broido et al. [5]. The maximum allowed doping level for modulation doped MQW structures is determined. Thermal conductivity measurements show that a ZT enhancement can be achieved by reducing the thermal conductivity due to interface scattering. Additionally promising lead chalcogenide based superlattices for an increased 3D figure of merit are presented.
Quantum tunneling in low-dimensional semiconductors mediated by virtual photons
