Interfacial Distortion of Sb2Te3-Sb2Se3 Multilayers via Atomic Layer Deposition for Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an effective technique for depositing thin films with precise control of layer thickness and functional properties. In this work, Sb2Te3-Sb2Se3 nanostructures were synthesized using thermal ALD. A decrease in the Sb2Te3 layer thickness led to the emergence of distinct peaks from the Laue rings, indicative of a highly textured film structure with optimized crystallinity. Density functional theory simulations revealed that carrier redistribution occurs at the interface to establish charge equilibrium. By carefully optimizing the layer thicknesses, we achieved an obvious enhancement in the Seebeck coefficient, reaching a peak figure of merit (zT) value of 0.38 at room temperature. These investigations not only provide strong evidence for the potential of ALD manipulation to improve the electrical performance of metal chalcogenides but also offer valuable insights into achieving high performance in two-dimensional materials.

Wafer-Scale Growth of Sb2Te3 Films via Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition for Self-Powered Photodetectors.

In this work, we demonstrate the performance of a silicon-compatible, high-performance, and self-powered photodetector. A wide detection range from visible (405 nm) to near-infrared (1550 nm) light was enabled by the vertical p-n heterojunction between the p-type antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin film and the n-type silicon (Si) substrates. A Sb2Te3 film with a good crystal quality, low density of extended defects, proper stoichiometry, p-type nature, and excellent uniformity across a 4 in. wafer was achieved by atomic layer deposition at 80 °C using (Et3Si)2Te and SbCl3 as precursors. The processed photodetectors have a low dark current (∼20 pA), a high responsivity of (∼4.3 A/W at 405 nm and ∼150 mA/W at 1550 nm), a peak detectivity of ∼1.65 × 1014 Jones, and a quick rise time of ∼98 µs under zero bias voltage. Density functional theory calculations reveal a narrow, near-direct, type-II band gap at the heterointerface that supports a strong built-in electric field leading to efficient separation of the photogenerated carriers. The devices have long-term air stability and efficient switching behavior even at elevated temperatures. These high-performance and self-powered p-Sb2Te3/n-Si heterojunction photodetectors have immense potential to become reliable technological building blocks for a plethora of innovative applications in next-generation optoelectronics, silicon-photonics, chip-level sensing, and detection.

High-Performance n-Type Ge-Free Silicon Thermoelectric Material from Silicon Waste.

Silicon waste (SW), a byproduct from the photovoltaic industry, can be a prospective and environmentally friendly source for silicon in the field of thermoelectric (TE) materials. While thermoelectricity is not as sensitive toward impurities as other semiconductor applications, the impurities within the SW still impede the enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit, zT. Besides, the high thermal conductivity of silicon limits its applications as a TE material. In this work, we employ traditionally metallurgical methods in industry reducing the impurities in SW to an extremely low level in an environmentally friendly and economical way, and then the thermal conductivity of purified silicon is greatly reduced due to the implementation of multiscale phonon scattering without degrading the power factor seriously. Benefiting from these strategies, from 323 to 1123 K, for the sample made from purified silicon waste, the average zT, relevant for engineering application, is increased to 0.32, higher than that of the state-of-the-art n-type Ge-free bulk silicon materials made from commercially available silicon, but the total cost of our samples is negligible.

Reduced Lattice Thermal Conductivity for Half-Heusler ZrNiSn through Cryogenic Mechanical Alloying.

The ZrNiSn-based half-Heusler compounds are promising for thermoelectric applications in the mid-to-high temperature range. However, their thermoelectric performance was greatly limited due to the remaining high thermal conductivity, especially the lattice thermal conductivity. Herein, we report the synthesis of pristine half-Heusler ZrNiSn through direct mechanical alloying at a liquid nitrogen temperature (i.e., cryomilling) followed by spark plasma sintering. It is shown that the onset sintering temperature is greatly reduced for the cryomilled powders with a high density. A reduced thermal conductivity is subsequently realized from room temperature to 700 °C in the cryomilled samples than the one that was differently prepared (from 7.3 to 4.5 W/m K at room temperature). The pronounced reduction in thermal conductivity of ZrNiSn yields a maximum zT of ∼0.65 at 700 °C. Our study shows the possibility of cryomilling in advancing the thermoelectric performance through enhanced phonon scattering.