Crystallization behavior and thermoelectric characteristics of the electrodeposited Sb2Te3 thin films

Abstract Crystallization behavior of the electrodeposited Sb2Te3 film was characterized and the effect of the amorphous-crystalline transition on the Seebeck coefficient was evaluated. The as-electrodeposited Sb2Te3 film was amorphous and exhibited the Seebeck coefficient of 268–322 μV/K, which was much larger than the value of the crystalline Sb2Te3 film. When annealed at temperatures above 100 °C, the Seebeck coefficient of the Sb2Te3 film dropped significantly to 78–107 μV/K due to the amorphous-crystalline transition at 94 °C. The thermal stability of the electrodeposited Sb2Te3 film was improved by the addition of Cu, and the crystallization temperature of the CuSbTe film increased up to 149.5 °C.