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Pulsed laser deposition and thermoelectric properties of In- and Yb-doped CoSb3 skutterudite thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 July 2011

S.R. Sarath Kumar ,
A. Alyamani ,
J.W. Graff ,
T.M. Tritt  and
H.N. Alshareef
S.R. Sarath Kumar
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
A. Alyamani
Affiliation:
Nanotechnology Centre, King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia
J.W. Graff
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, South Carolina 29634
T.M. Tritt
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, South Carolina 29634
H.N. Alshareef*
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
*
b)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In- and Yb-doped CoSb3 thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition. Process optimization studies revealed that a very narrow process window exists for the growth of single-phase skutterudite films. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measured in the temperature range 300–700 K revealed an irreversible change on the first heating cycle in argon ambient, which is attributed to the enhanced surface roughness of the films or trace secondary phases. A power factor of 0.68 W m−1 K−1 was obtained at ∼700 K, which is nearly six times lower than that of bulk samples. This difference is attributed to grain boundary scattering that causes a drop in film conductivity.

Keywords

ThermoelectricThermoelectricityThin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 26 , Issue 15: Focus Issue: Advances in Thermoelectric Materials , 14 August 2011 , pp. 1836 - 1841
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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