Development of novel thermoelectric chalcogenides and investigation of their physical properties

我们合成了具有立方复杂晶体结构的材料；尖晶石Cu_yFe_4Sn_<12> X_<32>(X=S, Se)和四角体Cu_<12- X > Tr_xSb_4S_<13>（Tr：过渡金属），研究了它们的热电性能。尖晶石的研究结果表明，变范围跳变导体具有成为一种优良的高温热电材料的潜力。此外，我们最近证明了由于晶格导热系数很低，四面体具有很高的热电性能。

We have synthesized the materials with cubic complex crystal structure ; spinels Cu_yFe_4Sn_<12> X_<32>(X=S, Se) and tetrahedrites Cu_<12-x> Tr_xSb_4S_<13>(Tr : Transition metal) and have investigated their thermoelectric properties. The result of study for spinels gave us information that the variable-range hopping conductors have a potential to be a good high-temperature thermoelectric material. Furthermore, we newly demonstrated that the tetrahedrites exhibit high thermoelectric performance due to the quite low lattice thermal conductivity.