The effect of YSi2 nanoinclusion on the thermoelectric properties of p-type SiGe alloy.

In this research, the p-type Si₈₀Ge₂₀B₃ alloys composited with YSi₂ nanoinclusions were fabricated by melting spinning and then, spark plasma sintering. The metallic Y was chosen as the source of YSi₂ nanoparticles. It was found that the fully dense nanocomposites were formed with the homogeneous distribution of YSi₂ nanoinclusions in the SiGe matrix. The thermoelectric measurement showed that YSi₂ addition reduces the electrical conductivity but increases the Seebeck coefficient, which was attributed to the decrease in carrier concentration. The thermal conductivity was suppressed for the composite SiGe-1.4%Y, which made this composition to exhibit the largest thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of 0.52. Figure-of-merit (ZT) and microstructure of the SiGe- x%Y SiGe-1.4%Y. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]