Thermoelectric characteristics of the electrodeposited (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 films with variation of the electrodeposition current density

Abstract

Electrodeposition behavior and thermoelectric properties of the p-type (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 films were investigated for thermoelectric energy conversion and nanowire applications. Composition and thermoelectric properties of the electrodeposited (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 films were strongly dependent on the electrodeposition current density. The (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 films electrodeposited in a 30mM solution of the 5mM Bi-15mM Sb-10mM Te concentration at current densities of 0.3-0.5 mA/cm(2) exhibited the power factors of 2 similar to 3.4 x 10(-4) W/K-2-m, which were equivalent to the values reported for the sputter-deposited (Bi,Sb)(2)Te-3 films.