Possible ways for efficiency improvement of thermoelectric materials

Various properties which influence zT can be improved by using modern technology for creation special submicron structures inside homogeneous thermoelectrics. Barriers for electrons with /spl epsiv/100 is electron gas in vacuum due to full absence of lattice thermal conductivity. Even after taking into account the losses due to radiation and electrical lead to emitter the thermionic converter can have zT/spl ges/20. In 1992 V. Nemchinsky and I presented to XI Int. Conf. on Thermoelectrics (Arlington, Texas) a paper [1] based on our calculations published in 70-ths in the Russian Confidential Journal on Energy Conversion. We discussed possibility to increase the figure of merit (zT) by introducing into a TE material special barriers for low energy electrons to increase Heltier coefficient (II=/spl alpha/T) that is entropy current accompanying the charge current. But, neither V Nemchinsky nor I could attend ICT92. This year I am in a position to come back to the discussion of the problem: how to increase zT by using new microelectronics technology for goal-directed improvements of homogeneous TE materials?.