Role of long-range interaction on the electrical transport and electron–phonon scattering in thermoelectric Mg2Si

Abstract

Many thermoelectrics are polar materials, where the long-range interaction plays a non-negligible role; however, its effect on the electrical transport property of thermoelectric materials is yet to be fully investigated. In this work, we demonstrate the importance of long-range interaction on the electrical transport property and the electron–phonon scattering mechanism in thermoelectric Mg2Si. We find that agreement between experimental and theoretical electrical conductivities can be significantly improved after considering the long-range interaction. In addition, we also demonstrate the importance of long-range interaction for studying the effect of band convergence on thermoelectric properties.