Effects of Heavy Ion Irradiation on the Thermoelectric Properties of In<sub>2</sub>(Te<sub>1−x</sub>Se<sub>x</sub>)<sub>3</sub> Thin Films
oleh: Mannu Pandian, Alageshwaramoorthy Krishnaprasanth, Matheswaran Palanisamy, Gokul Bangaru, Ramcharan Meena, Chung-Li Dong, Asokan Kandasami
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2022-10-01 |
Deskripsi
Ion irradiation is an exceptionally effective approach to induce controlled surface modification/defects in semiconducting thin films. In this investigation, ion-irradiated Se–Te-based compounds exhibit electrical transport properties that greatly favor the transformation of waste heat into electricity. Enhancements of both the Seebeck coefficient (S) and the power factor (PF) of In<sub>2</sub>(Te<sub>0.98</sub>Se<sub>0.02</sub>)<sub>3</sub> films under 120 MeV Ni<sup>9+</sup> ion irradiation were examined. The maximum S value of the pristine film was about ~221 µVK<sup>−1</sup>. A significantly higher S value of about ~427 µVK<sup>−1</sup> was obtained following irradiation at 1 × 10<sup>13</sup> ions/cm<sup>2</sup>. The observed S values suggest the n-type conductivity of these films, in agreement with Hall measurements. Additionally, Ni ion irradiation increased the PF from ~1.23 to 4.91 µW/K<sup>2</sup>m, demonstrating that the irradiated films outperformed the pristine samples. This enhancement in the TE performance of the In<sub>2</sub>(Te<sub>0.98</sub>Se<sub>0.02</sub>)<sub>3</sub> system is elucidated by irradiation-induced effects that are revealed by structural and morphological studies.