Research Progress and Prospects of SnTe-based Thermoelectric Materials and Devices

SnTe materials are of interest in the thermoelectric field due to their environmentally friendly, non-toxic properties and multivalent band structure. Currently, the thermoelectric figure of merit of SnTe has been significantly improved through carrier concentration optimization, band structure engineering, and multi-scale defect construction. Following interface material design and welding process optimization, SnTe-based thermoelectric modules with conversion efficiencies of ～10% have been developed. This review begins by examining the crystal and electronic band structure characteristics of SnTe. It then details strategies for optimizing the strategy of SnTe-based materials, discusses the challenges associated with selecting interface materials for SnTe-based devices, and summarizes the construction approaches of SnTe-based thermoelectric devices. Finally, it presents an outlook on the future research for SnTe thermoelectric materials and devices.