Electronic Kapitza conductance and related kinetic coefficients at an interface between n-type semiconductors

Abstract

Abstract We calculate the Kapitza conductance, which is the proportionality coefficient between heat flux and temperature jump at the interface, for the case of two conducting solids separated by the interface. We show that for conducting solids in a non-equilibrium state, there should also arise the electrochemical potential jump at the interface. Hence to describe linear transport at the interface we need three kinetic coefficients: interfacial analogs of electric and heat conductances and interfacial analog of the Seebeck coefficient. We calculate these coefficients for the case of an interface between n-type semiconductors. We perform calculations in the framework of Boltzmann transport theory. We have found out that the interfacial analog of the Seebeck coefficient for some range of parameters of the considered semiconductors, has a high value of about 10−3 V K−1. Thus this effect has the potential to be used for the synthesis of effective thermoelectric materials.