Measurement of thermoelectric nanowire array properties

Numerous groups are studying nanowires of Bi/Sb and [Bi/Sb]2[Te/Se]3 as possible high ZT materials. Relative to the corresponding bulk compositions, it is feasible that nanowires will yield both improved electrical properties and reduced thermal conductivity. The measurement of nanowire properties is difficult and various approaches should be considered. We are attempting to infer the thermoelectric transport properties of nanowire arrays by making and testing miniature couples. The couples contain a nanowire array leg and a bulk material leg, and we measure AC resistance, DC voltage, ∆T and Seebeck coefficient. Motivation A growing body of theoretical and experimental work suggests that greater thermoelectric performance might be found in nanostructured, low-dimensional materials. [1] Many of these studies have focused on superlattices, which offer the opportunity for precise experimental control and relatively straightforward modeling. From the viewpoint of