Influence of Deposition Rate on the Thermoelectric Properties of Sb2Te3 Thin Films by Thermal Evaporation Method

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are crucial because they can be used in power generation and cooling devices. Sb2Te3-based compounds are the most favorable TE materials because of their excellent figure of merit at room temperature. In this study, Sb2Te3 thin films were prepared on SiO2/Si substrates through thermal evaporation. The influence of the evaporation current on the microstructures and TE properties of Sb2Te3 thin films were investigated. The crystalline structures and morphologies of the thin films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and power factor (PF) were measured at room temperature. The experimental results showed that the Seebeck coefficient increased and conductivity decreased with increasing evaporation current. The Seebeck coefficient reached a maximum of 387.58 μV/K at an evaporation current of 80 A. Conversely, a PF of 3.57 µW/cmK2 was obtained at room temperature with evaporation current of 60 A.