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ORCID
N/A
Access Type
Open Access Thesis
Document Type
thesis
Degree Program
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Degree Type
Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (M.S.E.C.E.)
Year Degree Awarded
2017
Month Degree Awarded
February
Abstract
An increasing need for effective thermal sensors, together with dwindling energy resources, have created renewed interests in thermoelectric (TE), or solid-state, energy conversion and refrigeration using semiconductor-based nanostructures. Effective control of electron and phonon transport due to confinement, interface, and quantum effects has made nanostructures a good way to achieve more efficient thermoelectric energy conversion. This thesis studies the two well-known approaches: confinement and energy filtering, and implements improvements to achieve higher thermoelectric performance. The effect of confinement is evaluated using a 2D material with a gate and utilizing the features in the density of states. In addition to that, a novel controlled scattering approach is taken to enhance the device thermoelectric properties. The shift in the onset of scattering due to controlled scattering with respect to sharp features in the density of states creates a window shape for transport integral. Along with the controlled scattering, an effective utilization of Fermi window can provide a considerable enhancement in thermoelectric performance. The conclusion from the results helps in selection of materials to achieve such enhanced thermoelectric performance. In addition to that, the electron filtering approach is studied using the Wigner approach for treating the carrier-potential interactions, coupled with Boltzmann transport equation which is solved using Rode's iterative method, especially in periodic potential structures. This study shows the effect of rapid potential variations in materials as seen in superlattices and the parameters that have significant contribution towards the thermoelectric performance. Parameters such as period length, height and smoothness of such periodic potentials are studied and their effect on thermoelectric performance is discussed. A combination of the above two methods can help in understanding the effect of confinement and key requirements in designing a nanostructured thermoelectric device that has a enhanced performance.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/9358814
First Advisor
Zlatan Aksamija
Recommended Citation
Kommini, Adithya, "The Impact of Quantum Size Effects on Thermoelectric Performance in Semiconductor Nanostructures" (2017). Masters Theses. 470.
https://doi.org/10.7275/9358814
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/470
Included in
Computational Engineering Commons, Electrical and Electronics Commons, Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing Commons, Semiconductor and Optical Materials Commons