Energy Filtering of Charge Carriers: Current Trends, Challenges, and Prospects for Thermoelectric Materials

Abstract Exhaustive attempts are made in recent decades to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials that are utilized for waste heat‐to‐electricity conversion. Energy filtering of charge carriers is directed toward enhancing the material thermopower. This paper focuses on the theoretical concepts, experimental evidence, and the authors' view of energy filtering in the context of thermoelectric materials. Recent studies suggest that not all materials experience this effect with the same intensity. Although this effect theoretically demonstrates improvement of the thermopower, applying it poses certain constraints, which demands further research. Predicated on data documented in literature, the…

• IS
  Israel Science Foundation

  Award: 1997/18