Effects of Heavy Ion Irradiation on the Thermoelectric Properties of In2(Te1−xSex)3 Thin Films

Abstract

Ion irradiation is an exceptionally effective approach to induce controlled surface modification/defects in semiconducting thin films. In this investigation, ion-irradiated Se–Te-based compounds exhibit electrical transport properties that greatly favor the transformation of waste heat into electricity. Enhancements of both the Seebeck coefficient (S) and the power factor (PF) of In2(Te0.98Se0.02)3 films under 120 MeV Ni9+ ion irradiation were examined. The maximum S value of the pristine film was about ~221 µVK−1. A significantly higher S value of about ~427 µVK−1 was obtained following irradiation at 1 × 1013 ions/cm2. The observed S values suggest the n-type conductivity of these films, in agreement with Hall measurements. Additionally, Ni ion irradiation increased the PF from ~1.23 to 4.91 µW/K2m, demonstrating that the irradiated films outperformed the pristine samples. This enhancement in the TE performance of the In2(Te0.98Se0.02)3 system is elucidated by irradiation-induced effects that are revealed by structural and morphological studies.

Change in Superparamagnetic State Induced by Swift Heavy Ion Irradiation in Nano-Maghemite

“…These dislocations can form grain boundaries under certain conditions. The formation of new grain boundaries, especially in the case of a nano-structured material with a small grain size, can lead to the fragmentation of the grains and the reduction of the effective grain size [71]. The more defects we created by irradiation, the more we reduced the grain size.…”

Effect of calcination frequency on the thermoelectric properties of Ti doped CuCrO2 by solid state method

“…Additionally, the calcination process enhances the power factor to varying degrees in all samples. The variations in power factor values can be attributed to the interplay between resistivity and Seebeck coefficient [29]. In addition, the elevating the dislocation density can result in a reduction of carrier mobility within the CuCrO2 system, ultimately leading to a diminished power factor [19].…”

Ion Fluence-Dependent Structural and Electrical Characteristics of Electrochemically Synthesized PANI/ZnO Nano

“…Swift heavy ion irradiation can create new functionalities and features in the nanocomposite film, such as luminescence, electrochromism and memory effects, while low energy ion beams can only induce defects and damage in the material. Swift heavy ion irradiation can enhance the electrical, optical, magnetic and catalytic properties of the nanocomposite film by inducing changes in the chemical composition, crystal structure, defect density and surface morphology of the material [13][14][15], while low energy ion beams can only reduce or degrade these properties. Swift heavy ion irradiation can control the extent and nature of the modification in the nanocomposite film by adjusting the parameters such as ion energy, fluence and species [16].…”