Structural, electrical, and thermoelectrical properties of (Bi_(1-x)Sb_x)_2Se_3 alloys prepared by a conventional melting technique

摘要

Polycrystalline solid solutions of (Bi_(1 - x) Sb_x)_2Se_3 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100) were prepared using a facile method based on the conventional melting technique followed by annealing process. X-ray analysis and Raman spectroscopical measurements revealed formation of Bi_2Se_3 in single phase. The electrical and thermoelectric properties have been studied on the bulk samples in the temperature range 100-420 K. The electrical conductivity measurements show that the activation energy and room-temperature electrical conductivity dependences on the Sb content respectively exhibit minimum and maximum values at x = 0.05. The thermoelectric power exhibited a maximum value near the room temperature suggesting promising materials for room-temperature applications. The highest power factor value was found to be 13.53 μW K~(-2) cm~(-1) and recorded for the x = 0.05 compound.