The long-standing popularity of thermoelectric materials has contributed to the creation of various thermoelectric devices and stimulated the development of strategies to improve their thermoelectric performance. In this review, we aim to comprehensively summarize the state-of-the-art strategies for the realization of high-performance thermoelectric materials and devices by establishing the links between synthesis, structural characteristics, properties, underlying chemistry and physics, including structural design (point defects, dislocations, interfaces, inclusions, and pores), multidimensional design (quantum dots/wires, nanoparticles, nanowires, nano- or microbelts, few-layered nanosheets, nano- or microplates, thin films, single crystals, and polycrystalline bulks), and advanced device design (thermoelectric modules, miniature generators and coolers, and flexible thermoelectric generators). The outline of each strategy starts with a concise presentation of their fundamentals and carefully selected examples. In the end, we point out the controversies, challenges, and outlooks toward the future development of thermoelectric materials and devices. Overall, this review will serve to help materials scientists, chemists, and physicists, particularly students and young researchers, in selecting suitable strategies for the improvement of thermoelectrics and potentially other relevant energy conversion technologies.

Advanced Thermoelectric Design: From Materials and Structures to Devices

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Xu-dong Wang*,† and Otto S. Wolfbeis*,‡ †Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 200433 Shanghai, P. R. China ‡Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemoand Biosensors, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany ■ CONTENTS Books, Reviews, and Articles of General Interest 204 Sensors for (Dissolved) Gases and Vapors 204 Hydrogen 204 Hydrocarbons 206 Oxygen 206 Carbon Dioxide 208 Nitrogen Oxides 208 Other Gases 208 Ammonia 209 Ethanol 209 Other Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)s 210 Sensors for Humidity, Water Fractions, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Hydrazine 211 Humidity 211 Water Fractions in Organic Solvents 212 Hydrogen Peroxide 213 Sensors for pH Values, Ions, and Salinity 213 pH Values 213 Ions 214 Salinity and Ionic Strength 215 Sensors for Organic Species 216 Glucose Sensing 216 Sucrose 217 Oils 217 Other Organics 217 Biosensors 218 Nucleic Acid-Based Biosensors (DNAand Aptamer-Based) 218 Immunosensors 218 Enzymatic Biosensors 219 Other Biosensors 220 New Schemes and Materials 220 New Sensing Schemes 220 Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)-Based Sensors 221 Photonic Crystals 223 Author Information 223 Corresponding Authors 223 Notes 223 Biographies 223 Acknowledgments 223 References 223

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Biosensors (2013-2015).

Single-phase cool white-light emitting BaNb2O6:Dy3+ phosphors have been synthesized via a conventional solid-state reaction method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and spectrofluorophotometric measurements. XRD and Rietveld structural refinement studies confirm that all the samples exhibit pure orthorhombic structure [space group – C2221(20)]. SEM observations reveal the dense particle packaging with irregular morphology in a micron range. The as-prepared phosphors exhibit blue (482 nm) and yellow (574 nm) emissions under 349, 364, 386 and 399 nm excitations corresponding to 4F9/2 → 6HJ (J = 15/2, 13/2) transitions of Dy3+ ions. The energy transfer mechanism between Dy3+ ions has been studied in detail and the luminescence decay lifetime for the 4F9/2 level was found to be around 146.07 μs for the optimized phosphor composition. The calculated Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates for the optimized phosphor are (x = 0.322, y = 0.339), which are close to the National Television Standard Committee (NTSC) (x = 0.310, y = 0.316) coordinates. The values of CIE chromaticity coordinates and correlated color temperature (CCT) of 5907 K endorse cool white-light emission from the phosphor. The study reveals that BaNb2O6:Dy3+ phosphor could be a potential candidate for near ultra-violet (NUV) excited white-LED applications.

/pdf/emerging-cool-white-light-emission-from-dy3-doped-single-3x49otd7by.pdf

Emerging cool white light emission from Dy3+ doped single phase alkaline earth niobate phosphors for indoor lighting applications

We propose two novel designs of compact, linear, and all-optical OR and AND logic gates based on photonic crystal architecture. The proposed devices are formed by the combination of the ring cavities and Y-shape line defect coupler placed between two waveguides. The performance of the proposed logic gates has been analyzed and investigated using finite difference time domain method. The suggested design for AND gate offers ON to OFF logic level contrast ratio of not less than 6 dB and the suggested design for OR gate offers transmitted power of not less than 0.5. On top of that, the proposed OR and AND logic gates can operate at bit rates of around 0.5 and 0.208 Tb/s, respectively. Further, the calculated fabrication tolerances of the suggested devices show that the rods radii of the ring cavities need to be controlled with no more than ±10% and ±3% fabrication errors for optical OR and AND gates, respectively. It is expected that such designs have the potential to be key components for future photonic integrated circuits due to their simplicity and small size.

Fully Integrated AND and OR Optical Logic Gates

Efficient silicon grating for SOI applications

Owing to their high thermoelectric (TE) figure-of-merit, nanostructured Si80Ge20 alloys are evolving as a potential replacement for their bulk counterparts in designing efficient radio-isotope TE generators. However, as the mechanical properties of these alloys are equally important in order to avoid in-service catastrophic failure of their TE modules, we report the strength, hardness, fracture toughness, and thermal shock resistance of nanostructured n-type Si80Ge20 alloys synthesized employing spark plasma sintering of mechanically alloyed nanopowders of its constituent elements. These mechanical properties show a significant enhancement, which has been correlated with the microstructural features at nano-scale, delineated by transmission electron microscopy.

/pdf/microstructure-and-mechanical-properties-of-thermoelectric-5dpoo10y85.pdf

S.K. Tripathy

Papers

Efficient silicon grating for SOI applications

Microstructure and mechanical properties of thermoelectric nanostructured n-type silicon-germanium alloys synthesized employing spark plasma sintering

A novel method for measurement of concentration using two dimensional photonic crystal structures

A novel technique to measure the sucrose concentration in hydrogel sucrose solution using two dimensional photonic crystal structures

Measurement of glycerol concentration in B–H–G solution using 3D photonic crystal structure