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    Promising thermoelectric properties of quasi-one-dimensional phosphorus-based materials by tuning the chainlike twisting

    Jiang-Jiang Ma1, Dan Zhang1,2,3, Rong-Rong Ma1, Changsheng Min2,3,4, Zhihong Yuan1, Xiao-xiao Zhang1, Peng-Fei Liu2,3, Yu Zhou5, Jingyu Li6,* et al.

    Wen Yin2,3,†

    • *Contact author: jyli@ihep.ac.cn
    • †Contact author: yinwen@ihep.ac.cn

    Phys. Rev. B 114, 034303 – Published 6 July, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/p2g3-ftty

    Abstract

    The search for high-performance thermoelectrics is increasingly focused on quasi-one-dimensional (Q-1D) materials, which leverage quantum confinement effects to intrinsically decouple transport properties. Herein we report a series of Q-1D phosphidosilicates with systematically tunable structural distortions, stereochemically active lone pairs, anharmonic chains, and distinct bonding hierarchies. This unique structural combination induces strong phonon anharmonicity, resulting in intrinsic ZT values above 1, including a peak of ∼2.32 along the a direction in Ba4Si3P8. Quantifying the influence of structural distortion reveals two distinct trends. Electronically, increased distortion promotes valley convergence and drives bands toward degenerate Q-1D flat bands, enhancing power factors. This effect is most pronounced in Ca3Si2P4, which exhibits superior carrier mobility and high power factor under both doping types, matching state-of-the-art NbFeSb. Phononically, Ca3Si2P4 exhibits a lattice thermal conductivity nearly three times higher than K2SiP2 despite its heavier and more complex structure, violating conventional Slack's rule. Moreover, structural complexity shifts thermal transport toward wavelike behavior, culminating in Ba4Si3P8′s ultralow phonon conductivity without nanostructuring. These phosphidosilicates demonstrate how structural distortion can simultaneously suppress thermal transport and enhance electronic performance via dimensional tailoring, offering a promising platform for advanced thermoelectrics.

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