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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
We have already reported that Au or B doped SiGe amorphous thin films have superior thermoelectric properties which are attribute to amorphous phase. For the practical use, the bulk materials are required. In this work, we have tried and succeeded to fabricate Si-Ge-B amorphous bulk samples. First, fine particles were prepared by three kinds of mechanical process, such as roller milling method, mechanical alloying method and planetary milling method. It was intended to introduce a large amount of defects and strain into samples and/or gamorphouslization'h. Then, the prepared fine particles were pressed and formed into 2 x 5 x 15 mm^3 samples. Thermoelectric power and electrical resistivity of samples were measured by steady state measurement and four terminal method with temperature range of room temperature to 873 K in N2 flow at atmosphere pressure, respectively. Thermal conductivity was measured by photo-pyroelectric method in room temperature. Some samples have maximum value of thermoelectric power over 10-3 V/K. therefore≤ we were succeeded to prepare bulk materials which have higher thermoelectric power than that of conventional crystal materials. X-ray diffraction measurement and scanning electron microscope observation were performed on fabricated samples. From XRD measurement and SEM observation, the samples were in mixed condition of disordered microcrystals and amorphous state.