Optimizing the Carrier Density and Thermoelectric Properties of Sb2Te3 Films by Using the Growth Temperature

In this work, we report on the structural and thermoelectric properties of Sb 2 Te 3 films deposited on GaSb(111) substrates by using molecular beam epitaxy. The effects of the growth temperature on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of the films were investigated. The results show that Sb 2 Te 3 films grow on GaSb(111) along (00l) axis normal to the substrate and have a hexagonal structure with a layer-by-layer growth mode in growth temperature range from 200 to 250 °C while at 175 and 300 °C, the films show an island growth mode. Te and Sb 2 Te 3 phases coexist at a growth temperature of 175 °C. The films exhibit a metallic behavior for growth temperatures below 250 °C and a semiconductor behavior at 300 °C. By changing growth temperature, we were able to vary the carrier density from 9.96×10 18 to 4.55×10 19 cm −3 . At room temperature, the Seebeck coefficients are 110, 146, and 138 μV/K for growth temperatures of 175, 200 and 250 °C, respectively, and a large value of the power factor 61.67 μW/cm-K 2 is achieved for the film grown at 250 °C.