Thermoelectricity in topological crystalline Insulators: from bulk to thin films

• Grant number: 24/00177-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Agreement: Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science
• Principal Investigator: Valentina Martelli
• Grantee: Mariana Saraiva Leão Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/19420-3 - Thermoelectricity and heat transport in topological materials, AP.JP

Abstract

The goal of this project is to investigate the thermoelectric response in candidate topologicalcrystalline insulators (TCI) to bring relevantinsights into the understanding of the organization of charge carriers in this class of materialsand exploring new routes for enhancing thermoelectric performance. To do so, we planto carry out a systematic and comparative study on bulk and thin films SnTe (PbTe ascounterpart). The growth and characterization of thin SnTe films will be done at IFUSP. The investigation of thermoelectric and thermal properties atlow temperatures (down to 1.5K) and under the application of a magnetic field (up to 9T)will be carried out in the LQMEC laboratory at IFUSP, developing ad-hoc home-madeexperimental platforms. (AU)