Phase transition and high temperature thermoelectric properties of copper selenide Cu2-x Se （0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25）

With good electrical properties and an inherently complex crystal structure, Cu_2-xSe is a potential “phonon glass electron crystal” thermoelectric material that has previously not attracted much interest. In this study, Cu_2-xSe (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) compounds were synthesized by a melting-quenching method, and then sintered by spark plasma sintering to obtain bulk material. The effect of Cu content on the phase transition and thermoelectric properties of Cu_2-xSe were investigated in the temperature range of 300 K—750 K. The results of X-ray diffraction at room temperature show that Cu_2-xSe compounds possess a cubic structure with a space group of Fm3m (#225) when 0.15 < x le 0.25, whereas they adopt a composite of monoclinic and cubic phases when 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15. The thermoelectric property measurements show that with increasing Cu content, the electrical conductivity decreases, the Seebeck coefficient increases and the thermal conductivity decreases. Due to the relatively good power factor and low thermal conductivity, the nearly stoichiometric Cu₂Se compound achieves the highest ZT of 0.38 at 750 K. It is expected that the thermoelectric performance can be further optimized by doping appropriate elements and/or via a nanostructuring approach.     

金属层亚波长狭缝中光波耦合

亚波长波导能够控制光在亚波长的尺寸中以很小损耗传输,在集成光学中有广泛的应用。利用二维时域有限差分(FDTD)法,研究了光波在金属层中亚波长两狭缝之间的耦合过程。分别在较厚的金属层前表面和后表面刻上两个狭缝,纵向错开一定距离(间距),横向重叠一定长度(耦合长度),两个狭缝能够将光波从金属层的前表面耦合到后表面。改变两个狭缝长度、间距和耦合长度等参数,耦合波长和效率发生明显变化。结合振幅分布,认为光波在两狭缝形成波导共振,前表面狭缝的共振将入射波能量耦合进入狭缝中,后表面狭缝的共振将能量耦合出去,两个狭缝之间通过隧穿效应耦合。     

微型腔单一亚波长金属狭缝的光波透射

 利用时域有限差分法模拟了厚金属层上单一亚波长狭缝内壁刻有一微型腔结构光波传输,结果发现在特定波长发生异常的增强透射。结合透射峰值对应波长近场分布,利用麦克斯韦方程组和波导理论对增强透射进行解释,认为光波在微型腔和狭缝中形成共振腔模起了重要作用:在狭缝内形成纵模,可以形成透射峰;在腔内形成不同的腔模也可以形成透射模。