Emerging homogeneous superlattices in CaTiO3bulk thermoelectric materials

The thermal conductivity of superlattices is strongly reduced as compared to that of the parent materials due to phonon-scattering and thermal boundary resistances at the superlattice period interfaces. Herein, homogenous superlattices consisting of homogenous structural Ce_δCa_1-δTiO₃ and CaTi_1-δCe_δO₃ alternate layers were obtained through a variable-valence Ce doping, providing multi-quantum well interfaces between the alternate layers due to Ce-substitution at Ca and Ti sites, respectively. This material comprising these homogenous superlattices displayed a significantly reduced lattice thermal conductivity of 1.82 W m^-1 K^-1 and a record high zT value of 0.405 at 1031 K in CaTiO₃-based thermoelectric materials. This strategy of synthesizing homogeneous superlattices provides a cost advantage over heterogeneous superlattices prepared by the molecular beam epitaxy method and paves a route for preparing bulk superlattices with unique thermoelectric properties rooting in the quantum domain limiting effect.