Effects of Si Substrates with Variable Initial Orientations on the Growth and Thermoelectric Properties of Bi-Sb-Te Thin Films

Abstract

For thermoelectric thin film, the substrate plays an important role during the growing process and produces effects on its thermoelectric properties. Some special kinds of substrates provide an optimal combination of influences on both the structure and thermoelectric properties. In this work, Bi-Sb-Te films are deposited on Si substrates with different initial orientations by magnetron sputtering in two ways: with and without a pre-coating process. The preferred orientations of the Bi-Sb-Te films are greatly affected by the substrates, in which the thin film tends to deposit on Si substrate with (100) initial orientation and high (015)-texture, while the (00l)-textured Bi-Sb-Te film easily deposits on Si substrate with (110) initial orientation. The experimental and theoretical calculation results indicate that Bi-Sb-Te film with (00l)-texture presents good electrical conductivity and a higher power factor than that of film with (015)-texture.

Effects of working pressure during magnetron sputtering on thermoelectric performance of flexible p-type Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 thin films

“…7,8 Realizing that the (00l) orientation has been proven an effective strategy to improve the PF of the Bi 2 Te 3 -based films. [9][10][11] Moreover, the substrate types [12][13][14] and subsequent annealing conditions [15][16][17][18][19] reveal distinct influences on the TE properties of the deposited films. Recently, we realized the carrier energy filtering effect in Ag-doped Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 films deposited by magnetron sputtering, and significantly improved their electrical transport properties.…”

Development of Alkylthiazole-Based Novel Thermoelectric Conjugated Polymers for Facile Organic Doping

“…Among the various types of TE materials [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], such as Bi 2 Te 3 , SnSe, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), and graphene, organic materials based on conjugated polymers have unique advantages due to their low κ values, semi-transparency, low weight, solution-processibility, high energy conversion efficiency over a temperature range near room temperature (RT), etc. [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”