Optimizing thermal transport in the Falicov-Kimball model: binary-alloy picture

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermal transport and thermoelectric efficiency of the Falicov-Kimball model, identifying parameter regions with high figure-of-merit ZT for power generation and cooling.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of thermoelectric properties in the Falicov-Kimball model, highlighting conditions for high ZT in correlated systems at different temperatures.

Findings

Large ZT>1 region at high temperature

Small ZT>1 region at low temperature

Lattice thermal conductivity likely reduces low-temperature ZT

Abstract

We analyze the thermal transport properties of the Falicov-Kimball model concentrating on locating regions of parameter space where the thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT is large. We focus on high temperature for power generation applications and low temperature for cooling applications. We constrain the static particles (ions) to have a fixed concentration, and vary the conduction electron concentration as in the binary-alloy picture of the Falicov-Kimball model. We find a large region of parameter space with ZT>1 at high temperature and we find a small region of parameter space with ZT>1 at low temperature for correlated systems, but we believe inclusion of the lattice thermal conductivity will greatly reduce the low-temperature figure-of-merit.