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Review of Established Materials and Devices

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Thermoelectrics

Part of the book series: Springer Series in MATERIALS SCIENCE ((SSMATERIALS,volume 45))

Abstract

The best elemental or simple compound semiconductor for thermoelectric refrigeration at “ordinary” temperatures is bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), with space group \( D_{3d}^5(R\mathop 3\limits^ - m) \) [5.1]. Bi2Te3 crystals are remarkable because they can be readily cleaved in planes perpendicular to the trigonal or c axis. As one proceeds in the c direction, one encounters layers of like atoms that follow the sequence:

$$ - T{e^{[1]}} - Bi - T{e^{[2]}} - Bi - T{e^{[1]}} - , $$

which is then repeated until a crystal boundary is reached. It has been shown that the tellurium and bismuth layers are held together by strong ionic-covalent bonds, but no bonding electrons remain to connect the adjacent Te[l] layers. The weak van der Waals binding between the layers accounts for the ease of cleavage [5.2].

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  1. Marlow Industries, Inc., 10451 Vista Park Road, 75238, Dallas, TX, USA

    Dr. George S. Nolas & Dr. Jeffrey Sharp

  2. University of Tasmania, 40 Osborne Esplanade, 7050, Kingston Beach, Tasmania, Australia

    Prof. em. H. Julian Goldsmid

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Nolas, G.S., Sharp, J., Goldsmid, H.J. (2001). Review of Established Materials and Devices. In: Thermoelectrics. Springer Series in MATERIALS SCIENCE, vol 45. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04569-5_5

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