1. Transfer of P-type to N-type Thermoelectric Properties of Ag-Sb-Te Thin Film Through Temperature Annealing and Its Electrical Power Generation
- Author
-
Somporn Thaowonkaew, Tosawat Seetawan, Athorn Vora-ud, Natchanun Prainetr, Pennapa Muthitamongkol, Theerapong Santhaveesuk, Thang Bach Phan, and Mati Horprathum
- Subjects
010302 applied physics ,Materials science ,Solid-state physics ,Annealing (metallurgy) ,02 engineering and technology ,Sputter deposition ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Condensed Matter Physics ,01 natural sciences ,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials ,Amorphous solid ,Thermoelectric generator ,0103 physical sciences ,Thermoelectric effect ,Materials Chemistry ,Surface roughness ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,Composite material ,Thin film ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Ag-Sb-Te (AST) thin film was successfully fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate by using DC magnetron sputtering from the AgSbTe (AST) target. As-deposited samples were annealed at temperatures between 300 and 450°C under vacuum for 30 min. Then, uni-leg AST thin film thermoelectric modules of five elements were fabricated. Thermal annealing induced a change of thermoelectric characteristic of the thin film from p-type material (300–350°C) to n-type material (400–450°C) through the change in structures (amorphous to crystalline, atomic composition ratio and surface roughness, etc.). The highest power factor was 0.97 mW m−1 K−2 and 0.065 mW m−1 K−2 for p-type and n-type, respectively. The maximum power generation of the uni-leg AST thin film thermoelectric module was approximately 0.88 nW for p-type and 0.54 nW for n-type, with a temperature difference of around 20 K.
- Published
- 2019