Thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride quantum wires

Electrical and thermal properties of rectangular quantum wires of polycrystalline bismuth telluride have been investigated in the framework of the relaxation time approximation. Electrical conductivity, electronic thermal conductivity and thermopower have been obtained in the temperature range 200–600 K for two cross-sectional sizes (10 and 20 nm), and for different carrier densities at and around optimal doping levels. Finally the thermoelectric figure of merit has been estimated in the entire temperature range.