COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF HEAT TRANSFER IN THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES

Abstract

Solid-state thermoelectric devices are currently used in applications ranging from thermocouple sensors to power generators in satellites, to portable air-conditioners and refrigerators. With the ever-rising demand throughout the world for energy consumption and CO₂ reduction, thermoelectric energy conversion has been receiving intensified attention as a potential candidate for waste- heat harvesting as well as for power generation from renewable sources. Efficient thermoelectric energy con version critically depends on the performance of thermoelectric materials and devices. In this review, we discuss heat transfer in thermoelectric materials and devices, especially phonon engineering to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity of thermoelec tric materials, which requires a fundamental understanding of nanoscale heat conduction physics.