Thermoelectric properties of atomic-thin silicene and germanene nano-structures

Abstract

The thermoelectric properties in one- and two-dimensional silicon and germanium structures have been investigated using first-principle density functional techniques and linear response for the thermal and electrical transport. We have considered here the two-dimensional silicene and germanene, together with nano-ribbons of different widths. For the nano-ribbons, we have also investigated the possibility of nano-structuring these systems by mixing silicon and germanium. We found that the figure of merit at room temperature of these systems is remarkably high, up to 2.5.

15 pages, 18 figures, revtex4-1