Extraordinary Thermoelectric Properties of Topological Surface States in Quantum-Confined Cd3As2 Thin Films

Abstract

Topological insulators and semimetals have been shown to possess intriguing thermoelectric properties promising for energy harvesting and cooling applications. However, thermoelectric transport associated with the Fermi arc topological surface states on topological Dirac semimetals remains less explored. This work systematically examines thermoelectric transport in a series of topological Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Surprisingly, significantly enhanced Seebeck effect and anomalous Nernst effect are found at cryogenic temperatures when the Cd₃As₂ layer is thin. In particular, a peak Seebeck coefficient of nearly 500 µV K^-1 and a corresponding thermoelectric power factor over 30 mW K^-2 m^-1 are observed at 5 K in a 25-nm-thick sample. Combining angle-dependent quantum oscillation analysis, magnetothermoelectric measurement, transport modeling, and first-principles simulation, the contributions from bulk and surface conducting channels are isolated and the unusual thermoelectric properties are attributed to the topological surface states. The analysis showcases the rich thermoelectric transport physics in quantum-confined topological Dirac semimetal thin films and suggests new routes to achieving high thermoelectric performance at cryogenic temperatures.

Keywords: quantum confinement; thermoelectric effect; topological Dirac semimetal; topological surface state.