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Weak electronic one-dimensionality of ${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ underlying its giant thermoelectric performance

Hironari Isshiki ^1,2,*, Ayumu Tabata³, Masafumi Horio ², Motoi Kimata¹, Youichi Yamakawa⁴, Ryutaro Okuma ², Miki Imai², Fumiya Matsunaga⁴, Koshi Takenaka ⁴ et al.

Kenichi Ozawa ⁵, YoshiChika Otani², Fumio Komori ², Iwao Matsuda ², Masahiro Hara ⁶, Yoshihiko Okamoto ², and Masayuki Hashisaka ²

¹Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2–4 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki, Japan
²Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
³Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan
⁴Department of Applied Physics, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan
⁵Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
⁶Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan

^*Contact author: isshiki.hironari@jaea.go.jp

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Phys. Rev. Materials 10, L112401 – Published 4 November, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/653b-z2m9

Abstract

${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ is a van der Waals material composed of one-dimensional chains that exhibits an exceptionally large thermoelectric power factor below room temperature. However, since this material has only been available as acicular microcrystals, experimental exploration of the electronic properties underlying its giant thermoelectric performance has remained challenging. In this study, we quantitatively evaluate the electronic anisotropy of ${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ by combining micro-spot angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with transport measurements on focused-ion-beam-processed samples. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy shows anisotropic band dispersions along and perpendicular to the crystallographic $c$ axis. Consistently, transport measurements demonstrate that the resistivity perpendicular to the $c$ axis is approximately five times larger than that along the $c$ axis at 200 K. Hall measurements further provide estimates of the carrier concentration, mobility, and an effective band gap of 0.134 ± 0.034 eV. These results reveal the weakly one-dimensional electronic and transport character of ${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ , providing microscopic insight into the origin of its giant thermoelectric response and highlighting the role of moderate electronic dimensionality in enhancing thermoelectric performance.

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Weak electronic one-dimensionality of ${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ underlying its giant thermoelectric performance

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Weak electronic one-dimensionality of Ta4SiTe4 underlying its giant thermoelectric performance

Abstract

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

Supplemental Material

References (30)

Weak electronic one-dimensionality of ${Ta}_{4} {SiTe}_{4}$ underlying its giant thermoelectric performance