Nonequilibrium Phonon Dynamics and Its Impact on the Thermal Conductivity of the Benchmark Thermoelectric Material SnSe.

ABSTRACT: Thermoelectric materials play a vital role in the pursuit of a sustainable energy system by allowing the conversion of waste heat to electric energy. Low thermal conductivity is essential to achieving high-efficiency conversion. The conductivity depends on an interplay between the phononic and electronic properties of the nonequilibrium state. Therefore, obtaining a comprehensive understanding of nonequilibrium dynamics of the electronic and phononic subsystems as well as their interactions is key for unlocking the microscopic mechanisms that ultimately govern thermal conductivity. A benchmark material that exhibits ultralow thermal conductivity is SnSe. We study the nonequilibrium phonon dynamics induced by an excited electron population using a framework combining ultrafast electron diff

SUBMITTER: Prasad AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10655201 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature