The effect of electron-phonon interaction on the thermoelectric properties of defect zigzag nanoribbons

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electron-phonon interactions influence the thermoelectric properties of defected zigzag graphene nanoribbons, revealing decreased efficiency peaks and shifted peak positions, especially in structures with periodic antidots.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of electron-phonon effects on thermoelectric performance in defected graphene nanoribbons using the Hubbard-Holstein model.

Findings

Electron-phonon interaction reduces thermoelectric figure of merit peaks.

Peak positions shift closer to the bandgap center due to interactions.

Effects are more significant in structures with periodic antidots.

Abstract

Thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons with periodic edge vacancies and antidot lattice are investigated. The electron-phonon interaction is taken into account in the framework of the Hubbard-Holstein model with the use of the Lang-Firsov unitary transformation scheme. The electron transmission function, the thermopower and the thermoelectric figure of merit are calculated. We have found that the electron-phonon interaction causes a decrease in the peak values of the thermoelectric figure of merit and the shift of the peak positions closer to the center of the bandgap. The effects are more pronounced for the secondary peaks that appear in the structures with periodic antidot.