From Heat to Spin to Electricity: Understanding Spin Transport in Thermoelectric Devices Scientists
From Heat to Spin to Electricity: Understanding Spin Transport in Thermoelectric Devices
Scientists shed light on how the magnetic properties of 2D interlayers can enhance spin accumulation effects in thermoelectric heterostructures.
Spin thermoelectric materials are an area of active research because of their potential applications in thermal energy harvesters. However, the physics underlying the effects of interlayers in these materials on spin transport phenomena are unclear. In a recent study, scientists from Chung-Ang University, Korea, shed light on this topic using a newly developed platform to measure the spin Seebeck effect. Their findings pave the way to large-area thermoelectric materials with enhanced properties.
Thermoelectric materials, which can generate an electric voltage in the presence of a temperature difference, are currently an area of intense research; thermoelectric energy harvesting technology is among our best shots at greatly reducing the use of fossil fuels and helping prevent a worldwide energy crisis. However, there are various types of thermoelectric mechanisms, some of which are less understood despite recent efforts. A recent study from scientists in Korea aims to fill one such gap in knowledge. Read on to understand how!
