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Thermoelectric properties of the incommensurate layered semiconductor GexNbTe2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

G. Jeffrey Snyder ,
T. Caillat  and
J-P. Fleurial
G. Jeffrey Snyder*
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 277–207, Pasadena, California 91109
T. Caillat
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 277–207, Pasadena, California 91109
J-P. Fleurial
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 277–207, Pasadena, California 91109
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author.jeff.snyder@jpl.nasa.gov
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Abstract

The compounds GexNbTe2 (0.39 ≤ x ≤ 0.53) have been studied for their thermoelectric properties. By changing x, the carrier concentration can be adjusted so that the material changes from a p-type metal to a p-type semiconductor. The maximum germanium concentration at about Ge0.5NbTe2 is also the most semiconducting composition. High- and low-temperature electrical resistivity, Hall effect, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity were measured. Evidence of electronic ordering was found in some samples. The thermal conductivity is reasonably low and glasslike with room temperature values around 20–25 mW/cm K. However, the power factor is too low to compete with state-of-the-art materials. The maximum thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT found in these compounds is about 0.12. The low ZT can be traced to the low carrier mobility of about 10 cm2 /Vs. The related compounds Si0.5NbTe2 and Ge0.5TaTe2 were also studied.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 15 , Issue 12 , December 2000 , pp. 2789 - 2793
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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