Nanoscale thermoelectric power generation

Nanoscale thermoelectric materials are at the center of current thermoelectric research because they offer higher efficiency than bulk thermoelectrics, which has been attributed to energy selectivity via a strongly modulated electron density of states and lattice thermal conductivity reduction. Our research aims to understand better the efficiency of thermally-induced electron transport using a quantum dot as a model system and to progress toward engineering high-efficiency nanoscale thermoelectric devices for power generation. We discuss here a device used to measure the electronic efficiency of nanoscale thermoelectric processes.