title: Thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons, junctions and superlattices.
abstract: Using model interaction Hamiltonians for both electrons and phonons and Green's function formalism for ballistic transport, we have studied the thermal conductance and the thermoelectric properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNR), GNR junctions and periodic superlattices. Among our findings we have established the role that interfaces play in determining the thermoelectric response of GNR systems both across single junctions and in periodic superlattices. In general, increasing the number of interfaces in a single GNR system increases the peak ZT values that are thus maximized in a periodic superlattice. Moreover, we proved that the thermoelectric behavior is largely controlled by the width of the narrower component of the junction. Finally, we have demonstrated that chevron-type GNRs recently synthesized should display superior thermoelectric properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7518, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jayasekera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calzolari
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M Buongiorno
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nardelli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004583:Electrons; D004735:Energy Transfer; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013814:Thermal Conductivity
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006108:Graphite