Structural characterization of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} as a function of temperature using neutron powder diffraction and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques

Journal Article · Thu Aug 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4892441· OSTI ID:22314330

Mansour, A. N. ^[1]; Wong-Ng, W. ^[2]; Huang, Q. ^[3]; Tang, W. ^[4]; Thompson, A.; Sharp, J. ^[5]

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1. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, West Bethesda, Maryland 20817 (United States)
2. Materials Measurement Science Division National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States)
3. Center for Neutron Research National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States)
4. Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018 (China)
5. Marlow Industries, Inc Dallas, Texas 75238 (United States)

The structure of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} (Seebeck coefficient Standard Reference Material (SRM™ 3451)) and the related phase Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} have been characterized as a function of temperature using the neutron powder diffraction (NPD) and the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques. The neutron structural studies were carried out from 20 K to 300 K for Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and from 10 K to 298 K for Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3}. The EXAFS technique for studying the local structure of the two compounds was conducted from 19 K to 298 K. Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} are isostructural, with a space group of R3{sup ¯}m. The structure consists of repeated quintuple layers of atoms, Te2-M-Te1-M-Te2 (where M = Bi or Sb) stacking along the c-axis of the unit cell. EXAFS was used to examine the bond distances and static and thermal disorders for the first three shells of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} as a function of temperature. The temperature dependencies of thermal disorders were analyzed using the Debye and Einstein models for lattice vibrations. The Debye and Einstein temperatures for the first two shells of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} are similar to those of Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} within the uncertainty in the data. However, the Debye and Einstein temperatures for the third shell of Bi-Bi are significantly lower than those of the third shell of Sb-Sb. The Einstein temperature for the third shell is consistent with a soft phonon mode in both Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3}. The lower Einstein temperature of Bi-Bi relative to Sb-Sb is consistent with the lower value of thermal conductivity of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} relative to Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3}.

• OSTI ID: 22314330
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2014 U.S. Government; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ANTIMONY TELLURIDES
BISMUTH TELLURIDES
BOND LENGTHS
FINE STRUCTURE
LATTICE VIBRATIONS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
NEUTRONS
PHONONS
SPACE GROUPS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
X RADIATION
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY