Quantum size effects in n-PbTe/p-SnTe/n-PbTe heterostructures -: art. no. 063103

The dependencies of the thermoelectric properties of n-PbTe/p-SnTe/n-PbTe heterostructures on the SnTe quantum well width (d(SnTe) = 0.5-6.0 nm) at fixed PbTe barrier layers thicknesses were studied. It was established that the thickness dependencies of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, the Hall coefficient, charge carrier mobility, and the thermoelectric power factor are distinctly nonmonotonic. The observed effect is attributed to the size quantization of the energy spectrum of the hole gas in a SnTe quantum well. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.