• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2016

Recently, $Bi_2Te_3$-based alloys are the best thermoelectric materials near to room temperature, so it has been researched to achieve increased figure of merit(ZT). Ternary compounds such as Bi-Te-Se and Bi-Sb-Te have higher thermoelectric property than binary compound Bi-Te and Sb-Te, respectively. Compared to DC plating method, pulsed electrodeposition is able to control parameters including average current density, and on/off pulse time etc. Thereby the morphology and properties of the films can be improved. In this study, we electrodeposited n-type ternary Cu-doped $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film by modified pulse technique at room temperature. To further enhance thermoelectric properties of $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film, we optimized Cu doping concentration in $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film and correlated it to electrical and thermoelectric properties. Thus, the crystal, electrical, and thermoelectric properties of electrodeposited $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film were characterized the XRD, SEM, EDS, Seebeck measurement, and Hall effect measurement, respectively. As a result, the thermoelectric properties of Cu-doped $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin films were observed that the Seebeck coefficient is $-101.2{\mu}V/K$ and the power factor is $1412.6{\mu}W/mK^2$ at 10 mg of Cu weight. The power factor of Cu-doped $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film is 1.4 times higher than undoped $Bi_2(Te-Se)_3$ thin film.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.304.2-304.2
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• 2014

Chalcogenides (Te,Se) and pnictogens(Bi,Sb) materials have been widely investigated as thermoelectric materials. Especially, Bi2Te3 (Bismuth telluride) compound thermoelectric materials in thin film and nanowires are known to have the highest thermoelectric figure of merit ZT at room temperature. Currently, the thermoelectric material research is mostly driven in two directions: (1) enhancing the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity using quantum confinement effects and (2) decreasing thermal conductivity using phonon scattering effect. Herein we demonstrated influence of annealing temperature on structural and thermoelectrical properties of Bismuth-telluride-selenide ternary compound thin film. Te-rich Bismuth-telluride-selenide ternary compound thin film prepared co-deposited by thermal evaporation techniques. After annealing treatment, co-deposited thin film was transformed amorphous phase to Bi2Te3-Bi2Te2Se1 polycrystalline thin film. In the experiment, to investigate the structural and thermoelectric characteristics of Bi2Te3-i2Te2Se1 films, we measured Rutherford Backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning eletron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Seebeck coefficient measurement and Hall measurement. After annealing treatment, electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient was increased by defect states dominated by selenium vacant sites. These charged selenium vacancies behave as electron donors, resulting in carrier concentration was increased. Moreover, Thermal conductivity was significantly decreased because phonon scattering was enhanced through the grain boundary in Bi2Te3-Bi2Te2Se1 polycrystalline compound. As a result, The enhancement of thermoelectric figure-of-merit could be obtained by optimal annealing treatment.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.6 no.7
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• pp.678-683
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• 1996

In the fabrication processes of thin film thermoelectrics, a subsequent annealing treatment is inevitable to reduce the defects and residual stresses introduced during the film growth, and to make the uniform carrier concentration of the film. However, the diffusion-induced atomic redistribution and the broadening of p/n junction region are expected to affect the thermoelectric properties of thin film modules. The present study intends to investigate the diffusion at the p/n junctions of thermoelectric thin films and to relate it to the property changes. The film junctions of p-type(Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3)and n-type(Bi2Te2.4Se0.6)were prepared by the flash evaporation method. Aluminum thin layer was employed as a diffusion barrier between p-and n-type films of the junction. This was found to be an effective barrier by showing a negligible diffusion into both type films. After annealing treatment, the thermoelectric properties of p/n couples with aluminum barrier layer were accordingly retained their properties without any deterioration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1995.02a
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• pp.67-67
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• 1995

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 1997

P-type ($Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$) and n-type ($Bi_2Te_{2.4} Se_{0.6}$) thermoelectric thin film were deposited on glass and Teflon substrates by the flash evaporation technique. The changes in thermoelectric properties, such as Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, carrier concentration, carrier mobility, thermal conductivity, and figure of merit, were investigated as a function of film thickness and annealing condition. Figures of merit of the thin films annealed at 473 K for 1 hour were improved to be $1.3{\times}10^{-3}K^{-1}$ for p-type and $0.3{\times}10^{-3}K^{-1}$ for n-type, and they were almost independent of film thickness. Temperature sensors were fabricated from the thin films having the above mentioned properties. And thermo-emf, sensitivity, and time constant of the sensors were measured to evaluate their characteristics for temperature sensors. Thin film sensors deposited on Teflon substrates showed better performance than those on glass substrates, and their sensitivity and time constant were 2.91 V/W and 28.2 sec respectively for the sensor of leg width 1 mm$\times$length 16 mm.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1995.11a
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• pp.99-99
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• 1995

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1996.02a
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• pp.35-35
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• 1996

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.276-279
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• 2000

Ferroelectric properties of $SrBi_2TaNbO_9$ (SBTN) thin films were changed by the amount of Bi content in SBTN. We suggested that the addition of excess Bi into the films could be accomplished by heat-treating $SBTN/Bi_2O_3/SBTN$ heterostructure fabricated by r.f. magnetron sputtering method. Excess Bi composition was controlled by the thickness of the sandwiched $Bi_2O_3$ from 0 to $400\;\AA$. When the SBTN thin films were inserted by $400\;{\AA}\;Bi_2O_3$ layer, $Bi_2Pt$ phase was formed as a second phase in SBTN films, resulting in poor ferroelectric properties. The onset temperature for hysteresis loop can be reduced by heat treating $SBTN/Bi_2O_3/SBTN$ heterostructure. The films with $SBTN/Bi_2O_3(100\;{\AA})/SBTN$ hetero-structure followed by annealing at $650^{\circ}C$ for 30 min show 2Pr and Ec of $5.66\;{\mu}C/\textrm{cm}^2$ and 54 kV/cm, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1993.07a
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• pp.93-94
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• 1993

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.180-185
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• 2006

Microwatt power level at relatively high voltage(order of volt) was produced by $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_{3}/Bi_{2}Te_{2.4}Se_{0.6}$ thin film thermoelectric generators, and maximum output power varied with temperature difference in the square-law relation. Output voltage and current were possible to control by changing the way of electrical connection as well as the number of stacking plate-modules. Variation of open circuit voltage and short circuit current with temperature difference showed a linear relationship. There were, however, some differences in variations; open circuit voltage were dependent on the number of plate-module when connected in series, but it was not for parallel connection. On the other hand, short circuit current showed the opposite behavior to the case of open circuit current.