Origins of enhanced thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating Bi0.64Sb1.36Te3 thin films

Liu, Wei; Chi, Hang; Walrath, J. C.; Chang, A. S.; Stoica, Vladimir A.; Endicott, Lynn; Tang, Xinfeng; Goldman, R. S.; Uher, Ctirad

doi:10.1063/1.4940923

Title: Origins of enhanced thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating Bi_0.64Sb_1.36Te₃ thin films

Journal Article · Mon Jan 25 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4940923· OSTI ID:1370100

^[1]; Chi, Hang ^[2];

^[2]; Chang, A. S. ^[2]; Stoica, Vladimir A. ^[2]; Endicott, Lynn ^[2]; Tang, Xinfeng ^[3];

^[2]; Uher, Ctirad ^[2]

Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Wuhan Univ. of Technology, Wuhan (China)
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Wuhan Univ. of Technology, Wuhan (China)

In this paper, we report the enhanced thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating thin films of Bi_0.64Sb_1.36Te₃ with a thickness of 6–200 nm. Measurements of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and electronic transport show that the Fermi level lies close to the valence band edge, and that the topological surface state (TSS) is electron dominated. We find that the Seebeck coefficient of the 6 nm and 15 nm thick films is dominated by the valence band, while the TSS chiefly contributes to the electrical conductivity. In contrast, the electronic transport of the reference 200 nm thick film behaves similar to bulk thermoelectric materials with low carrier concentration, implying the effect of the TSS on the electronic transport is merely prominent in the thin region. The conductivity of the 6 nm and 15 nm thick film is obviously higher than that in the 200 nm thick film owing to the highly mobile TSS conduction channel. As a consequence of the enhanced electrical conductivity and the suppressed bipolar effect in transport properties for the 6 nm thick film, an impressive power factor of about 2.0 mW m^–1 K^–2 is achieved at room temperature for this film. Further investigations of the electronic transport properties of TSS and interactions between TSS and the bulk band might result in a further improved thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating Bi_0.64Sb_1.36Te₃ thin films.

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Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC), Washington, D.C. (United States). Center for Solar and Thermal Energy Conversion (CSTEC)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0000957; PI0000012

OSTI ID:: 1370100

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1236107

Journal Information:: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 108, Issue 4; Related Information: CSTEC partners with University of Michigan (lead); Kent State University; ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 2 works

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