Improving Thermoelectric Performance of Nanoribbons via doping and strain

2D layered materials have attracted significant attention for improving thermoelectric performance, but practical applications are often limited by structural defects and surface oxidation. To address this, we propose a method involving surface doping and the application of strain. Through two distinct doping strategies, we have observed a shift in carrier type from n-type to p-type with a sixfold increase in the Seebeck coefficient, or, in another case, a smaller increase in the Seebeck coefficient but a reduction in resistance by more than half, resulting in a twofold improvement in the figure of merit (zT). At the same time, we are developing a method to control thermal conductivity by applying tensile strain to 2D nanosheets using a Si-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) carrier. Here, we present our research for enhancing thermoelectric characteristics of nanomaterials, also demonstrating the deformation of the atomic structure of 2D nanosheets under controlled strain, as well as their phononic behavior and changes in thermoelectric properties.