Thermoelectric efficiency in model nanowires

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buir.advisorGülseren, Oğuz
dc.contributor.authorBadalov, Sabuhi
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-08T20:02:30Z
dc.date.available2016-01-08T20:02:30Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.descriptionAnkara : The Departmant of Physics and the Graduate School of Engineering and Science of Bilkent University, 2013.en_US
dc.descriptionThesis (Master’s) -- Bilkent University, 2013.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references leaves 53-57.en_US
dc.description.abstractNowadays, the use of thermoelectric semiconductor devices are limited by their low efficiencies. Therefore, there is a huge amount of research effort to get high thermoelectric efficient materials with a fair production value. To this end, one important possibility for optimizing a material’s thermoelectric properties is reshaping their geometry. The main purpose of this thesis is to present a detailed analysis of thermoelectric efficiency of 2 lead systems with various geometries in terms of linear response theory, as well as 3 lead nanowire system in terms of the linear response and nonlinear response theories. The thermoelectric efficiency both in the linear response and nonlinear response regime of a model nanowire was calculated based on Landauer-B¨uttiker formalism. In this thesis, first of all, the electron transmission probability of the system at the hand, i.e. 2 lead or 3 lead systems are investigated by using R-matrix theory. Next, we make use of these electron transmission probability of model systems to find thermoelectric transport coefficients in 2 lead and 3 lead nanowires. Consequently, the effect of inelastic scattering is incorporated with a fictitious third lead in the 3 lead system. The efficiency at maximum power is especially useful to define the optimum working conditions of nanowire as a heat engine. Contrary to general expectation, increasing the strength of inelastic scattering is shown to be a means of making improved thermoelectric materials. A controlled coupling of the nanowire to a phonon reservoir for instance could be a way to increase the efficiency of nanowires for better heat engines.en_US
dc.description.provenanceMade available in DSpace on 2016-01-08T20:02:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 0006747.pdf: 2518756 bytes, checksum: 17809909d444433d698b7a0594b1c2be (MD5)en
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityBadalov, Sabuhien_US
dc.format.extentx, 57 leaves, graphicsen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11693/16891
dc.language.isoEnglishen_US
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessen_US
dc.subjectThermoelectric effectsen_US
dc.subjectQuantum wiresen_US
dc.subjectElectron and Heat transporten_US
dc.subjectScattering theoryen_US
dc.subjectR-matrix theoryen_US
dc.subjectTransport propertiesen_US
dc.subjectNanoscale systemsen_US
dc.subject.lccTK3301 .B33 2013en_US
dc.subject.lcshNanowires.en_US
dc.subject.lcshTransport theory.en_US
dc.subject.lcshThermoelectric apparatus and appliances.en_US
dc.subject.lcshSemiconductors.en_US
dc.titleThermoelectric efficiency in model nanowiresen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplinePhysics
thesis.degree.grantorBilkent University
thesis.degree.levelMaster's
thesis.degree.nameMS (Master of Science)

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