Enhanced phonon-drag by nanoscale design of homoepitaxial \hbox{$\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$}

Abstract

Phonon drag may be harnessed for thermoelectric generators and devices. Here, we demonstrate the geometric control of the phonon-drag contribution to the thermopower. In nanometer-thin electrically conducting $\beta$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ films homoepitaxially-grown on insulating substrates it is enhanced from -0,4 mV/K to up to -3 mV/K at 100 K by choice of the film thickness. Analysis of the temperature-dependent Seebeck coefficients reveal that a crossover from three-dimensional to quasi-two-dimensional electron-phonon interaction occurs for film thicknesses below 75~nm. The ratio of phonon-phonon to electron-phonon relaxation times in these confined structures is $10$ times larger than that of bulk. Generally the phonon drag can be tuned depending on the relations between the phonon-drag interaction length $\lambda_\text{PD}$, the phonon mean free path $\lambda$ and the film thickness $d$. Phonon drag can be enhanced for $\lambda_\text{PD}\gg\lambda>d$.