Enhancing high-temperature thermoelectric properties of PtAs2 by Rh doping

TL;DR

This study investigates how Rh doping improves the thermoelectric performance of PtAs2 by analyzing electrical and thermal properties, revealing optimal doping levels and potential electronic structure explanations for enhanced efficiency.

Contribution

It presents new insights into Rh doping effects on PtAs2's thermoelectric properties and identifies optimal doping concentrations for improved performance.

Findings

Maximum power factor of 65 μW/cmK^2 at 440 K for x=0.005

Large Seebeck coefficient and low resistivity achieved with Rh doping

Enhanced thermoelectric properties possibly due to a 'corrugated flat band' electronic structure

Abstract

The effects of Rh doping on the thermoelectric properties of Pt1-xRhxAs2 (x = 0, 0.005, and 0.01) with pyrite structure were studied by conducting measurements of electrical resistivity rho, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity kappa. The sample with x = 0.005 exhibited large S and low rho, resulting in a maximum power factor (S^2/rho) of 65 muW/cmK^2 at 440 K. The peculiarly shaped "corrugated flat band" predicted for PtSb2 might explain the enhanced thermoelectric properties of doped PtAs2.