Asymmetric Electronic Band Alignment and Potentially Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties in Phase-Separated Mg2X (X=Si,Ge,Sn) Alloys

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Ryu, Byungki, Foster, Samuel, Choi, Eun-Ae, Park, Sungjin, Chung, Jaywan, de Boor, Johannes, Ziolkowski, Pawel, Müller, Eckhard, Han, Seung Zeon, Park, SuDong, Neophytou, Neophytos
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Ryu, Byungki
Foster, Samuel
Choi, Eun-Ae
Park, Sungjin
Chung, Jaywan
de Boor, Johannes
Ziolkowski, Pawel
Müller, Eckhard
Han, Seung Zeon
Park, SuDong
Neophytou, Neophytos
author_facet Ryu, Byungki
Foster, Samuel
Choi, Eun-Ae
Park, Sungjin
Chung, Jaywan
de Boor, Johannes
Ziolkowski, Pawel
Müller, Eckhard
Han, Seung Zeon
Park, SuDong
Neophytou, Neophytos
contents The Mg2X (X=Si, Ge, Sn) based alloy is an eco-friendly thermoelectric material for mid-temperature applications. The Mg2Si1-xSnx and Mg2Ge1-xSnx alloys can be phase-separated into Si(Ge)- and Sn-rich phases during material synthesis, leading to a nanocomposite with locally varying electronic band structure. First-principles calculations reveal that the valence band offset is eight-times larger than the conduction band offset at the interface between Si- and Sn-rich phases for x=0.6, showing type-I and asymmetric band alignment (0.092 eV versus 0.013 eV). Using Boltzmann transport theory and thermionic emission calculations, we show that the large valence band energy discontinuity could allow for energy filtering effects to take place that can potentially increase the power factor substantially in the p-type material system if designed appropriately.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_09693
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Asymmetric Electronic Band Alignment and Potentially Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties in Phase-Separated Mg2X (X=Si,Ge,Sn) Alloys
Ryu, Byungki
Foster, Samuel
Choi, Eun-Ae
Park, Sungjin
Chung, Jaywan
de Boor, Johannes
Ziolkowski, Pawel
Müller, Eckhard
Han, Seung Zeon
Park, SuDong
Neophytou, Neophytos
Materials Science
The Mg2X (X=Si, Ge, Sn) based alloy is an eco-friendly thermoelectric material for mid-temperature applications. The Mg2Si1-xSnx and Mg2Ge1-xSnx alloys can be phase-separated into Si(Ge)- and Sn-rich phases during material synthesis, leading to a nanocomposite with locally varying electronic band structure. First-principles calculations reveal that the valence band offset is eight-times larger than the conduction band offset at the interface between Si- and Sn-rich phases for x=0.6, showing type-I and asymmetric band alignment (0.092 eV versus 0.013 eV). Using Boltzmann transport theory and thermionic emission calculations, we show that the large valence band energy discontinuity could allow for energy filtering effects to take place that can potentially increase the power factor substantially in the p-type material system if designed appropriately.
title Asymmetric Electronic Band Alignment and Potentially Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties in Phase-Separated Mg2X (X=Si,Ge,Sn) Alloys
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.09693