Effect of Pulsed Photon Treatment on Electrophysical and Thermophysical Properties of n-Type Solid Solution Based on Bi2Te3–Bi2Se3: II. Thermal Conductivity and Thermoelectric Figure of Merit

The effect of pulsed photon treatment on the thermal conductivity and thermoelectric figure of merit of n -type Bi 2 Te 3 –Bi 2 Se 3 solid solution has been studied. The samples have been obtained by powder metallurgy by synthesis and hot pressing in an argon atmosphere. It has been found that pulsed photon treatment of samples in an argon atmosphere leads to a decrease in the thermal conductivity of the sample. In this case, the electronic component of the thermal conductivity exhibits a decrease regardless of the treatment mode owing to a decrease in the electronic component of heat capacity, whereas the phonon component decreases only in the range of relatively high irradiation doses. An optimal mode of pulsed photon treatment has been determined, wherein the decrease in the thermal conductivity of the material occurs simultaneously with an increase in the power factor, while the thermoelectric figure of merit exhibits an almost 10% increase.