LAUSR

Abstract A possible route is given to achieve enhanced thermoelectric (TE) performance in a spin-orbit (SO) coupled graphene nanoribbon (GNR). The GNR is irradiated with a suitable polarized light so that the transmission function can have asymmetry around the chemical potential, which is the key requirement to enhance the TE performance. The interplay between SO coupling and irradiation on the nature of transmission function is critically investigated. Astounding TE results are obtained in the presence of light irradiation without modifying the other physical parameters of the system. The thermopower is enhanced significantly and at the same time, a considerable suppression in the thermal conductance is observed which yields favorable energy conversion. We discuss thermoelectric properties for the unpassivated and passivated GNRs as well. Both zigzag and armchair GNRs are taken into account, and finally, the results are studied by varying their widths in a wide range. Enhancing the thermoelectric performance by means of irradiation in a SO coupled system is completely new and has not been explored so far to the best of our concern, and might be applicable as well in other such topological systems.