• Novak, K. V.
• Nashchekina, Olga
• Budnik, A. V.
• Doroshenko, A. N.
• Rogacheva, E. I.

Abstract

Bi₂Te₃ semiconductor compound and Bi₂Te₃-based solid solutions are presently among the best lowtemperature thermoelectric materials. One of the methods of controlling the conductivity type and properties of Bi₂Te₃ is changing the stoichiometry of this compound. Earlier, we have obtained the room-temperature dependences of mechanical and thermoelectric properties of Bi₂Te₃ polycrystals on the degree of deviation from stoichiometry. The goal of this work is to investigate the behavior of such dependences at other temperatures. Bismuth telluride polycrystals with compositions in the range of 59.6-67.5 at. % Te were obtained, and for all the crystals the Seebeck coefficient, the Hall coefficient, electrical conductivity and charge carrier mobility were measured in the temperature range 77-300 K. On the basis of the temperature dependences, the isotherms of kinetic coefficients were plotted. It was found that similar to the room-temperature isotherms, the isotherms at lower temperatures were non-monotonic: they exhibited inversion of the conductivity sign between 60.5 and 61.0 at. % Te and extrema near 60.0 and 63.0 at. % Te. The experimental data are interpreted taking into account changes in the band and defect structures of Bi₂Te₃ under varying stoichiometry. The obtained results make it possible to control thermoelectric properties of Bi₂Te₃ polycrystals in the temperature range 77-300 K by changing the degree of deviation from stoichiometry.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• compound
• mobility
• thin film
• semiconductor
• defect
• electrical conductivity
• defect structure
• Bismuth