First-principles study of the structural, optoelectronic and thermophysical properties of the π-SnSe for thermoelectric applications
Open Access
- 5 October 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Beilstein Institut in Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
- Vol. 12 (1), 1101-1114
- https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.12.82
Abstract
Tin selenide (SnSe) has thermoelectric (TE) and photovoltaic (PV) applications due to its exceptional advantages, such as the remarkable figure of merit (ZT ≈ 2.6 at 923 K) and excellent optoelectronic properties. In addition, SnSe is nontoxic, inexpensive, and relatively abundant. These aspects make SnSe of great practical importance for the next generation of thermoelectric devices. Here, we report structural, optoelectronic, thermodynamic, and thermoelectric properties of the recently experimentally identified binary phase of tin monoselenide (π-SnSe) by using the density functional theory (DFT). Our DFT calculations reveal that π-SnSe features an optical bandgap of 1.41 eV and has an exceptionally large lattice constant (12.2 Å, P213). We report several thermodynamic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of this π-SnSe phase for the first time. Our finding shows that the π-SnSe alloy is exceptionally promising for the next generation of photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices at room and high temperatures.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Water Center, United Arab Emirates University (United Arab Emirates University Program for Advanced Research (UPAR) Grant Number 12R017.)
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