Direct observation of hot-electron-enhanced thermoelectric effects in silicon nanodevices

This study uses nanothermometric imaging to observe thermoelectric effects in silicon nanoconstriction devices. When electrical current generates electron hotspots (Te~1500 K, much higher than Tl~320 K), a prominent thermoelectric effect is visualized due to the large electron temperature gradient (~1 K/nm). Measurements show a third-power dependence of the thermoelectric effect on electrical current, consistent with predicted nonequilibrium thermoelectric effects. This suggests that nonequilibrium hot carriers could enhance thermoelectric performance, offering new possibilities for nanoscale thermal management in post-Moore nanoelectronics.

Huanyi Xue, Ruijie Qian, Weikang Lu, Xue Gong, Ludi Qin, Zhenyang Zhong, Zhenghua An, Lidong Chen, Wei Lu