Optical and electrical properties of FeSi_{2 films prepared by DC magnetron co-sputtering

FeSi2 films were deposited by DC magnetic co-sputtering technique with different Si target sputtering powers. The microstructure, photoluminescence, sheet resistance and Seebeck coefficient of the prepared samples were characterised with X-ray diffraction, fluorospectrometer, four-probe technique and thermoelectric testing instrument, respectively. The XRD results demonstrated that the main contents of the film were Si, ε-FeSi2, β-FeSi2 and mixed phase of FeSi. With increase in Si target sputtering power, FeSi2 phase changed from β-FeSi2 (422) to β-FeSi2 (111) and PL intensity was enhanced. Sheet resistance, which is related to the thermoelectric properties of the samples, increased initially and then decreased as the Si target sputtering power increased, and a decrease of the Seebeck coefficient was also observed.