Carrier Control of Bi-Doped SnSe Films for Fabrication of π-Type Thermoelectric Film Modules

Abstract

Thermoelectric energy conversion is promising for high-efficiency power generation. The p-and n-type thermoelectric materials are required to fabricate high-performance thermoelectric modules. SnSe is one of the highestperformance thermoelectric materials, and SnSe films should be fabricated for small-scale applications. While the p-type SnSe films can be easily prepared without precise control of the doping, it is difficult to control the electron concentration in the n-type SnSe films. In this study, the Bi-doped SnSe films were fabricated at low deposition temperatures by using the self-buffer layer, namely, the SnSe-based buffer layers. The low-temperature deposition on the buffer layer increased the concentration of doped Bi, although the contribution of the buffer layer to the electronic conduction was observed. The π-type thermoelectric module consisting of p-type SnSe and n-type SnSe/ buffer layers was fabricated. The output power of 0.09 μW and the open-circuit voltage of 0.11 V were obtained at 155 °C at the cold end and 255 °C at the hot end. The feasibility of fabricating the π-type SnSe film module was demonstrated. By optimizing the buffer layer thickness and increasing the number of legs, we expect the module performance to be further improved.