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Atomic-scale regulation of ion motion and phonon scattering: ALD-driven interface engineering for stabilizing
Shiyang He1,2,3, Jun Li1,2, Dominique Mattlat4
1Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
Science Advances
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Powder atomic layer deposition (pALD) creates zinc oxide (ZnO) coatings to prevent zinc ion migration in thermoelectric materials. This enhances stability and performance, crucial for reliable energy conversion devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Solid State Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Metal ion migration causes performance degradation in thermoelectric (TE) materials.
- Beta-Zinc-Antimony (β-Zn4Sb3) exhibits high TE performance but is prone to zinc (Zn) ion migration.
- Operational gradients exacerbate ion migration and material decomposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer atomic-scale interfaces using powder atomic layer deposition (pALD) to suppress Zn ion migration.
- To enhance the thermal stability and operational reliability of thermoelectric materials.
- To investigate the impact of zinc oxide (ZnO) coatings on phonon scattering and thermal conductivity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized powder atomic layer deposition (pALD) to apply precise ZnO coatings (50-200 cycles) onto β-Zn4Sb3.
- Analyzed the immobilization of interstitial Zn ions and inhibition of phase decomposition.
- Measured lattice thermal conductivity and assessed thermal stability through extensive thermal cycling.
Main Results:
- Continuous ZnO barriers effectively immobilized Zn ions, preventing migration and decomposition.
- Optimized 100 ALD cycle ZnO coatings reduced lattice thermal conductivity by over 20% via enhanced phonon scattering.
- The coated thermoelectric material demonstrated stable performance over 39,260 thermal cycles with uniform Seebeck coefficient distribution.
Conclusions:
- pALD is a viable method for creating atomic-level interfaces to improve thermoelectric materials.
- ZnO coatings effectively enhance the operational stability and reliability of migration-prone TE materials.
- This approach bridges high thermoelectric performance with long-term operational durability.
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