Innovative Design of Bismuth-Telluride-Based Thermoelectric Transistors
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Foundations
2.1. Temperature Distribution of Bi2Te3 and p-Type Si under Laser Irradiation
2.1.1. Calculation of Temperature Distribution in P1-Bi2Te3
2.1.2. Calculation of Temperature Distribution in P2-Si
2.2. Hole Concentration Distribution in Bi2Te3 and P2-Si
2.2.1. Hole Concentration Distribution in P1-Bi2Te3
2.2.2. Hole Concentration Distribution in P2-Si
2.3. Operation Conditions of Thermoelectric Transistor
2.3.1. Implementation of Forward Bias and Forward Conduction at the Emitter–Base
2.3.2. Realization of Reverse Bias at the Base–Collector
2.4. The Output Performance of Thermoelectric Transistors
2.5. The Material Parameters of Thermoelectric Transistor
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Temperature Distribution in Thermoelectric Transistor
3.1.1. Temperature Distribution in p-Type Bi2Te3
3.1.2. Temperature Distribution in p-Si
3.2. Hole Concentration Distribution within Thermoelectric Transistor
3.3. Operarion Conditions in Thermoelectric Transistor
3.3.1. Forward Bias of Emitter–Base Junction
3.3.2. Reverse Bias of Base–Collector Junction
3.4. Output Performance of Thermoelectric Transistor
3.4.1. Impact of Nd on Output Power of Thermoelectric Transistor
3.4.2. Impact of Pa1 and x1 on Output Power of Thermoelectric Transistor
3.4.3. Impact of Pa2 and x2 on Output Power of Thermoelectric Transistor
3.4.4. Transistor Structure: Optimization of Output Power Effects
4. Conclusions
- (i)
- The thermoelectric transistor, composed of P1-Bi2Te3, N-Si, and P2-Si, is directly irradiated by the laser. Under laser illumination and heat conduction, the temperature decreases from 66.7 °C to 20 °C, creating a temperature difference of 46.7 °C at the two ends of the thermoelectric transistor. As a result of the temperature difference, holes inside P1 and P2 regions migrate from the hot end to the far end, leading to increased hole concentration at the cold end.
- (ii)
- The operation conditions of the thermoelectric transistor under laser irradiation are investigated. Based on the corresponding conditions, suitable doping concentrations of the emitter, base, and collector can be determined. By adjusting these concentrations, the current can be produced in the thermoelectric transistor only driven by the Seebeck effect.
- (iii)
- The influence of these parameters on the output power of the thermoelectric transistor is also investigated. The maximum output power of the thermoelectric transistor is 0.7093 μW under a temperature difference of 46.7 °C, which is nearly quadrupling the performance compared to the single thermoelectric material structure.
- (iv)
- Importantly, the operation conditions of the thermoelectric transistor established in this work are applicable to other material systems. By adjusting the doping concentration within each region, current can be generated, ensuring that the forward-active mode is achieved. Therefore, this novel thermoelectric generator concept can significantly contribute to the advancement of the thermoelectric field. Moreover, the combination with transistor technology can expand the range of applications for thermoelectric generators.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Deng, H.; Nan, B.; Xu, G. Innovative Design of Bismuth-Telluride-Based Thermoelectric Transistors. Materials 2023, 16, 5536. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165536
Deng H, Nan B, Xu G. Innovative Design of Bismuth-Telluride-Based Thermoelectric Transistors. Materials. 2023; 16(16):5536. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165536
Chicago/Turabian StyleDeng, Hao, Bohang Nan, and Guiying Xu. 2023. "Innovative Design of Bismuth-Telluride-Based Thermoelectric Transistors" Materials 16, no. 16: 5536. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165536