Anomalous enhancement of thermoelectric power factor in multiple two-dimensional electron gas system

Uematsu Y., Ishibe T., Mano T., et al. Anomalous enhancement of thermoelectric power factor in multiple two-dimensional electron gas system. Nature Communications 15, 322 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1038/S41467-023-44165-3.Toward drastic enhancement of thermoelectric power factor, quantum confinement effect proposed by Hicks and Dresselhaus has intrigued a lot of researchers. There has been much effort to increase power factor using step-like density-of-states in two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system. Here, we pay attention to another effect caused by confining electrons spatially along one-dimensional direction: multiplied 2DEG effect, where multiple discrete subbands contribute to electrical conduction, resulting in high Seebeck coefficient. The power factor of multiple 2DEG in GaAs reaches the ultrahigh value of ~100 μWcm−1 K−2 at 300 K. We evaluate the enhancement rate defined as power factor of 2DEG divided by that of three-dimensional bulk. The experimental enhancement rate relative to the theoretical one of conventional 2DEG reaches anomalously high (~4) in multiple 2DEG compared with those in various conventional 2DEG systems (~1). This proposed methodology for power factor enhancement opens the next era of thermoelectric research

Extension of continental crust by anelastic deformation during the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake : The role of extensional faulting in the generation of a great tsunami

AbstractObservations of seafloor morphologies and environments made before and after the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake reveal open fissures, generated during the earthquake, where the fault trace is interpreted on seismic profiles to intersect the seafloor. Anomalously high heat flow was observed at a landward-dipping normal fault in August 2011, five months after the earthquake, but by August 2012 heat flow measured at the same station had decreased to close to the background value, which suggests that the normal fault ruptured during the 2011 earthquake. These seafloor observations and measurements demonstrate deformation that was both extensional and anelastic within the overriding continental plate during the 2011 earthquake. Seismic profiles as well as seafloor bathymetry data in the tsunami source area further demonstrate that landward-dipping normal faults (extensional faults) collapse the continental framework and detach the seaward frontal crust from the landward crust at far landward from the trench. The extensional and anelastic deformation (i.e., normal faulting) observed in both seafloor observations and seismic profiles allows the smooth seaward movement of the continental crust. Seaward extension of the continental crust close to the trench axis in response to normal faulting is a characteristic structure of tsunami source areas, as similar landward-dipping normal faults have been observed at other convergent plate margins where tsunamigenic earthquakes have occurred. We propose that the existence of a normal fault that moves the continental crust close to the trench can be considered one indicator of a source area for a huge tsunami

Systematic studies for improving device performance of quantum well infrared stripe photodetectors

The integration of quantum well infrared photodetectors with plasmonic cavities has allowed for demonstration of sensitive photodetectors in the mid-infrared up to room-temperature operating conditions. However, clear guidelines for optimizing device structure for these detectors have not been developed. Using simple stripe cavity detectors as a model system, we clarify the fundamental factors that improve photodetector performance. By etching semiconductor material between the stripes, the cavity resonance wavelength was expected to blue-shift, and the electric field was predicted to strongly increase, resulting in higher responsivity than unetched stripe detectors. Contrary to our predictions, etched stripe detectors showed lower responsivities, indicating surface effects at the sidewalls and reduced absorption. Nevertheless, etching led to higher detectivity due to significantly reduced detector dark current. These results suggest that etched structures are the superior photodetector design, and that appropriate sidewall surface treatments could further improve device performance. Finally, through polarization and incidence angle dependence measurements of the stripe detectors, we clarify how the design of previously demonstrated wired patch antennas led to improved device performance. These results are widely applicable for cavity designs over a broad range of wavelengths within the infrared, and can serve as a roadmap for improving next-generation infrared photodetectors

Evolution of electronic states in the Kondo alloy system Yb1-xLuxB12

We have studied the effect of Lu substitution on the Kondo insulator YbB12 by high-resolution photoemission. Comparison of the spectra of YbB12, Yb0.5Lu0.5B12, and LuB12 reveals that the density of states (DOS) of the B sp-derived conduction band near the Fermi level is reduced in YbB12 over a rather wide (∼ 40 meV) energy region. Lu substitution (i) recovers the reduced B sp DOS, (ii) shifts the Yb 4f-derived Kondo peak towards higher binding energy, and (iii) decreases the Yb valence. These results are consistently analyzed using the Anderson-impurity model, and imply interaction between the Yb 4f ions mediated by the Yb 4f-B sp hybridization in YbB12