Thermoelectric transport across graphene/hexagonal boron nitride/graphene heterostructures

• Published in: Nano research 2015-02, Vol.8 (2), p.666-672
• Main Authors: Chen, Chun-Chung, Li, Zhen, Shi, Li, Cronin, Stephen B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Boron; Boron nitride; Chemical vapor deposition; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coefficients; Condensed Matter Physics; Devices; Electrons; Energy conversion; Gallium arsenide; Graphene; Heat conductivity; Heterostructures; Interfaces; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Plasma etching; Research Article; Spectrum analysis; Temperature; Temperature gradient; Temperature gradients; Thermoelectricity; Transport; Two dimensional; 六方氮化硼; 塞贝克系数; 异质结器件; 异质结构; 温度梯度; 热电; 石墨; 运输
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-014-0550-8

We report thermoelectric transport measurements across a graphene/hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN）/graphene heterostructure device. Using an AC lock-in technique, we are able to separate the thermoelectric contribution to the I-V characteristics of these important device structures. The temperature gradient is measured optically using Raman spectroscopy, which enables us to explore thermoelectric transport produced at material interfaces, across length scales of just 1-2 nm. Based on the observed thermoelectric voltage （AV） and tem- perature gradient （AT）, a Seebeck coefficient of -99.3 μV/K is ascertained for the heterostructure device. The obtained Seebeck coefficient can be useful for understanding the thermoelectric component in the cross-plane I-V behaviors of emerging 2D heterostructure devices. These results provide an approach to probing thermoelectric energy conversion in two-dimensional layered heterostructures.