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Doping of p‐type ZnSb: Single parabolic band model and impurity band conduction
Author(s) -
Böttger P. H. Michael,
Pomrehn Gregory S.,
Snyder G. Jeffrey,
Finstad Terje G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201127211
Subject(s) - thermoelectric effect , impurity , materials science , doping , condensed matter physics , conduction band , thermal conduction , thermoelectric materials , electron mobility , optoelectronics , thermodynamics , electron , chemistry , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics , organic chemistry
Even though the ZnSb compound has been known for decades and used in the earliest thermoelectric devices, the potential of the material as a modern thermoelectric may be underestimated. We synthesized p‐type doped samples using ball‐milling and hot‐pressing and measured their thermoelectric properties including mobility and carrier concentration. Establishing a single parabolic band (SPB) model using these measurements on the Cu, Sn, and self‐doped samples allows for predictions on the optimum thermoelectric efficiency. It is projected to reach zT = 0.75 at 700 K. Deviations from the SPB model at low carrier concentrations are discussed and impurity band conduction is brought in as a possible explanation.