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Improving Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric nanowire microstructure via thermal processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2014

Michael P. Siegal*
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
Steven J. Limmer
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
Jessica L. Lensch-Falk
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551
Kristopher J. Erickson
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551
Douglas L. Medlin
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94551
W. Graham Yelton
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
Caitlin Rochford
Affiliation:
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Achieving control of crystalline quality is a key barrier to developing thermoelectric (TE) nanowires. We show that the structural properties of free-standing Bi2(Te.97Se.03)3 nanowire arrays on substrates can be improved by postdeposition annealing. Nanowires were electrochemically deposited into anodized aluminum oxide nanopore templates formed directly on metallized Si(100). The templates were chemically removed prior to annealing in a 3% H2/Ar environment to prevent microcrack formation that results from thermal stresses. Grain sizes grew exponentially with annealing temperature until reaching the full 75-nm diameter of the nanowires at 300 °C; growth was linear above this temperature since grains could grow further only in the axial directions. Crystalline quality, along with the development of the preferred (110) orientation for optimal TE properties, improved with increasing annealing temperature between 200 and 400 °C. However, continued loss of Te composition with annealing led to a mixed phase of Bi2Te3 and Bi4Te3 at 500 °C.

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Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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