  Using first principles calculations, the use of strain to adjust electronic
transport and the resultant thermoelectric (TE) properties is discussed using
2H phase CuAlO2 as a test case. Transparent oxide materials, such as CuAlO2, a
p-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO), have recently been studied for high
temperature thermoelectric power generators and coolers for waste heat. Given
TCO materials with relative ease of fabrication, low cost of materials, and
non-toxicity, the ability to tailor them to specific temperature ranges, power
needs, and size requirements, through the use of strain opens an interesting
avenue. We find that strain can have a significant effect on these properties,
in some cases detrimental and in others beneficial, including the potential for
n-type power factors larger than the highest p-type case. The physical reasons
for this behavior are explained in the terms of the thermoelectric transport
distribution and the Landauer distribution of modes.
