Sb2Te3 has recently been an object of intensive research since its promising applicability in thermoelectric, in phase-change memory devices and as a topological insulator. In this work we report highly textured Sb2Te3 thin films, grown by atomic layer deposition on Si/SiO2 wafers based on the reaction of SbCl3 and Te(SiMe3)2. The low deposition temperature at 80° C allows for the pre-patterning of the Sb2Te3 by standard lithography processes. A platform to characterize the Seebeck-coefficient S, the electrical conductivity σ as well as the Hall coefficient RH on the same film has been developed. Comparing all temperature-dependent transport properties, three different conductive regions in the temperature range of 75 to 300 K are found. Room temperature values of S = 146 V K -1 ,  = 10 4 S m -1 and mobility  = 270.5 x 10 4 m 3 V -1 s -1 are determined. The low carrier concentration in the range of n = 2.4 x 10 18 cm -3 at 300 K quantifies the low defect content of the Sb2Te3 thin films.

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This Letter reports on temperature‐dependent electrical measurements of single Bi0.92Sb0.08 nanowires with diameters between 220 nm and 350 nm. The magnetoresistance effect under transverse magnetic fields of ±2 T and the Seebeck coefficient S are measured in the temperature range of 50–300 K. Additionally, the influence of an annealing step on the transport properties is investigated. The as‐prepared wires show heterogeneous temperature dependent behavior, whereas the annealed wires show semiconductive behavior. The room temperature value of the resistivity of the wires is between 2 × 10–6 Ωm and 1.4 × 10–5 Ωm. Magnetoresistance effects up to 15% at 50 K for the as‐prepared nanowires and up to 23% for the annealed wires are observed. The temperature dependent Seebeck coefficient of single wires is determined. The as‐prepared wires show a rise of the absolute value of S with temperature and it seems to saturate at room temperature. In contrast to this, the annealed wires show a linear increase of S. The room temperature values of S are –55 µV K–1 and –45 µV K–1, respectively. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

In this study, we investigate the temperature- and temperature gradient-dependent magnetization reversal process of individual, single-domain Co39Ni61 and Fe15Ni85 ferromagnetic nanowires via the magneto-optical Kerr effect and magnetoresistance measurements. While the coercive fields (HC) and therefore the magnetic switching fields (HSW) generally decrease under isothermal conditions at elevated base temperatures (Tbase), temperature gradients (ΔT) along the nanowires lead to an increased switching field of up to 15% for ΔT  = 300 K in Co39Ni61 nanowires. This enhancement is attributed to a stress-induced, magneto-elastic anisotropy term due to an applied temperature gradient along the nanowire that counteracts the thermally assisted magnetization reversal process. Our results demonstrate that a careful distinction between locally elevated temperatures and temperature gradients has to be made in future heat-assisted magnetic recording devices.