Revealing the Intrinsic Electronic Structure of 3D Half-Heusler Thermoelectric Materials by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

Fu C, Yao M, Chen X, Maulana LZ, Li X, Yang J, Imasato K, Zhu F, Li G, Auffermann G, Burkhardt U, Schnelle W, Zhou J, Zhu T, Zhao X, Shi M, Dressel M, Pronin A, Snyder GJ, Felser C (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Advanced Science Wiley Open Access

Book Volume: 7

Article Number: 1902409

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1002/advs.201902409

Abstract

Accurate determination of the intrinsic electronic structure of thermoelectric materials is a prerequisite for utilizing an electronic band engineering strategy to improve their thermoelectric performance. Herein, with high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), the intrinsic electronic structure of the 3D half-Heusler thermoelectric material ZrNiSn is revealed. An unexpectedly large intrinsic bandgap is directly observed by ARPES and is further confirmed by electrical and optical measurements and first-principles calculations. Moreover, a large anisotropic conduction band with an anisotropic factor of 6 is identified by ARPES and attributed to be one of the most important reasons leading to the high thermoelectric performance of ZrNiSn. These successful findings rely on the grown high-quality single crystals, which have fewer Ni interstitial defects and negligible in-gap states on the electronic structure. This work demonstrates a realistic paradigm to investigate the electronic structure of 3D solid materials by using ARPES and provides new insights into the intrinsic electronic structure of the half-Heusler system benefiting further optimization of thermoelectric performance.

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoffe (MPI CPfS) / Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids DE Germany (DE) University of Texas at Austin US United States (USA) (US) Zhejiang University CN China (CN) Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) CH Switzerland (CH) Universität Stuttgart DE Germany (DE) Northwestern University US United States (USA) (US) Shanghai University / 上海大学 (SHU) CN China (CN) Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Fu, C., Yao, M., Chen, X., Maulana, L.Z., Li, X., Yang, J.,... Felser, C. (2020). Revealing the Intrinsic Electronic Structure of 3D Half-Heusler Thermoelectric Materials by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy. Advanced Science, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.201902409

MLA:

Fu, Chenguang, et al. "Revealing the Intrinsic Electronic Structure of 3D Half-Heusler Thermoelectric Materials by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy." Advanced Science 7.1 (2020).

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