Thermoelectric Performance of Tetrahedrite (Cu₁₂Sb₄S₁₃) Thin Films: The Influence of the Substrate and Interlayer

Abstract

In the present work, tetrahedrite Cu12Sb4S13 thin films were deposited on various substrates via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using diethyldithiocarbamate complexes as precursors. A buffer layer of Sb2O3 with a small lattice mismatch to Cu12Sb4S13 was applied to one of the glass substrates to improve the quality of the deposited thin film. The buffer layer increased the coverage of the Cu12Sb4S13 thin film, resulting in improved electrical transport properties. The growth of the Cu12Sb4S13 thin films on the other substrates, including ITO-coated glass, a SiO2-coated Si wafer, and mica, was also investigated. Compared to the films grown on the other substrates, the Cu12Sb4S13 thin film deposited on the SiO2-coated Si wafer showed a dense and compact microstructure and a larger grain size (qualities that are beneficial for carrier transport), yielding a champion power factor (PF) of ∼362 μW cm–1 K–2 at 625 K. The choice of substrate strongly influenced the composition, microstructure, and electrical transport properties of the deposited Cu12Sb4S13 thin film. At 460 K, the highest zT value that was obtained for the thin films was ∼0.18. This is comparable to values reported for Cu–Sb–S bulk materials at the same temperature. Cu12Sb4S13 thin films deposited using AACVD are promising for thermoelectric applications. To the best of our knowledge, the first full thermoelectric characterization of the Cu12Sb4S13 thin film is performed in this work.

[(Ph3P)2Ag(μ-SeCH2Ph)2In(SeCH2Ph)2]: a new heterobimetallic single source precursor as a springboard to bulk, nano and thin film ternary AgInSe2 materials

“…5,6 In this regard, ternary MCs are of particular interest as they blend the extraordinary properties of MCs with the benefit of physical and chemical property tunability, along with solution processability. 7–9 I–III–VI 2 chalcopyrites are one particular subclass of these ternary materials (where I = Cu, Ag; III = Al, Ga, In and VI = S, Se, Te). The ternary chalcopyrites crystallize in a tetragonal body centred lattice and the structure consists of 8 atoms per unit cell rather than two atoms per unit cell as in the case of their binary analogues.…”