Pressure-tuned colossal improvement of thermoelectric efficiency of PbTe

The variations in thermoelectric (TE) efficiencies ae of lead chalcogenide compounds (p-PbTe, n-PbTe, p-Pb0.55Te0.45, p-Pb1-xSnxTe1-y, p-PbSe, and p-PbS) at room temperature for the pressure P range of P similar to 0-10 GPa are reported. A colossal (similar to 100 times) pressure-tuned improvement of is found for PbTe-based crystals under application of P similar to 2-3 GPa. The employed high-pressure cell with synthetic diamond anvils is a model of a simple and effective TE device. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.