Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of annealing on thermoelectric properties of Sb2Te3 thin films prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin films were deposited on silicon substrates at room temperature (300 K) by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. The effects of annealing in N2 atmosphere on their thermoelectric properties were investigated. The microstructure and composition of these films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The electrical transport properties of the thin films, in terms of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were determined at room temperature. The carrier concentration and mobility were calculated from the Hall coefficient measurement. Both of the Seebeck coefficient and Hall coefficient measurement showed that the prepared Sb2Te3 thin films were p-type semiconductor materials. By optimizing the annealing temperature, the power factor achieved a maximum value of 18.02 μW cm−1 K−2 when the annealing temperature was increased to 523 K for 6 h with a maximum electrical conductivity (1.17 × 10S/cm) and moderate Seebeck coefficient (123.9 μV/K).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Y. Zhang, J. Christofferson, A. Shakouri, G.H. Zeng, E. John Bowers, IEEE Trans Compon Packaging Technol 29, 395–401 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. I. Chowdhury, R. Prasher, K. Lofgreen, G. Chrysler, S. Narasimhan, R. Mahajan, D. Koester, R. Alley, R. Venkatasubramanian, Nat Nanotechol 4, 235–238 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Kishi, H. Nemoto, T. Hamao, M. Yamamoto, S. Sudou, M. Mandai, S. Yamamoto, Proceedings of 18th International Conference on Thermoelectrica, 301–304 (1999)

  4. K. Shen, X. Chen, M. Guo, J. Cheng, Sens Actuators B 105, 251–258 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Du, K.F. Cai, S.Z. Shen, B. Qin, P.S. Casey, J Mater Sci Mater El 23, 870–876 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. X.K. Duan, Y.Z. Jiang, Appl Surf Sci 256, 7365–7370 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. K.M. Liou, C.N. Liao, J Appl Phys 108, 1–5 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. M.H. Francombe, Br J Appl Phys 9, 415–418 (1958)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. N.G. Patel, P.G. Patel, J Mater Sci 26, 2543–2546 (1991)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R. Venkatasubramanian, T. Colpitts, E. Watko, M. Lamvik, N. El-Masry, J Cryst Growth 170, 817–821 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. H.L. Zou, D.M. Rowe, S.G.K. Williams, Thin Solid Films 408, 270–274 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. İ.Y. Erdoğan, Ü. Demir, J Electroanal Chem 633, 253–259 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. P. Fan, Z.H. Zheng, G.X. Liang, X.M. Cai, D.P. Zhang, Chin Phys Lett 27, 087021 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Y.K. Kim, A. Divenere, G.K. Wong, J.B. Ketterson, S. Cho, J Appl Phys 91, 715–718 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. L.M. Goncalves, P. Alpuim, A.G. Rolo, J.H. Correia, Thin Solid Films 519, 4152–4157 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. C.N. Liao, K.M. Liou, H.S. Chu, Appl Phys Lett 93, 1–3 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  17. T.B. Chen, P. Fan, Z.H. Zheng, D.P. Zhang, X.M. Cai, G.X. Liang, J.R. Chi, Adv Mat Res 194–196, 2400–2403 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. V. Damodara Das, N. Soundararajan, M. Pattabl, J Mater Sci 22, 3522–3528 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. A.F Ioffe, Semiconductor Thermoelements and Thermoelectric Cooling, 1st ed, Infosearch, 18–40 (1957)

  20. M. Takashiri, T. Shirakawa, K. Miyazaki, H. Tsukamoto, J Alloys Compd 441, 246–250 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. V. Damodara Das, N. Jayaprakash, N. Soundararajan, J Mater Sci 16, 3331–3334 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Shanghai Science and Technology Funds (10520710400, 10PJ1403800, 11DZ1111200), Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department (2010AD003), National Natural Science Foundation of China (21103104, 61204129), Innovation Foundation of Shanghai University and the Special Fund for Selection and Cultivation Excellent Youth in the University of Shanghai city.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhigang Zeng or Zhiyu Hu.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 1317 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fang, B., Zeng, Z., Yan, X. et al. Effects of annealing on thermoelectric properties of Sb2Te3 thin films prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 24, 1105–1111 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-012-0888-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-012-0888-1

Keywords

Navigation