3D charge and 2D phonon transports leading to high out-of-plane ZT in n-type SnSe crystals

SnSe doped a different way Heat can be converted into electricity by thermoelectric materials. Such materials are promising for use in solid-state cooling devices. A challenge for developing efficient thermoelectric materials is to ensure high electrical but low thermal conductivity. Chang et al. found that bromine doping of tin selenide (SnSe) does just this by maintaining low thermal conductivity in the out-of-plane direction of this layered material. The result is a promising n-type thermoelectric material with electrons as the charge carriers—an important step for developing thermoelectric devices from SnSe. Science , this issue p. 778