Cross-plane Seebeck coefficient in superlattice structures in the miniband conduction regime
Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: We have studied experimentally and theoretically the cross-plane Seebeck coefficient of short period $\mathrm{InGaAs}∕\mathrm{InAlAs}$ superlattices with doping concentrations ranging from $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{18}$ up to $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{19}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. Measurements are performed with integrated thin film heaters in a wide temperature range of $10--300\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. It was interesting to find out that contrary to the behavior in bulk material the Seebeck coefficient did not decrease monotonically with the doping concentration. We did not observe a sign change in the Seebeck coefficient at dopings where the Fermi energy is just above a miniband. This is a sign that electrons' lateral momentum is conserved in the transport perpendicular to superlattice layers. A preliminary theory of thermoelectric transport in superlattices in the regime of miniband formation has been developed to fit the experimental results.
Source: Physical Review B
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2128730584