The Influence of Spark Plasma Sintering Temperature on the Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of Al,Ga Dual-Doped ZnO

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials 2013-07, Vol.42 (7), p.1573-1581
• Main Authors: Han, Li, Hung, Le Thanh, van Nong, Ngo, Pryds, Nini, Linderoth, Søren
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Conductivity phenomena in semiconductors and insulators; Electricity generation; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in condensed matter; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronics and Microelectronics; Exact sciences and technology; Instrumentation; Materials Science; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Plasma sintering; Semiconductor doping; Solid State Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surface and interface electron states; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Temperature effects; Thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects; Thermoelectric effects; Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-012-2325-x

ZnO dual-doped with Al and Ga was prepared by spark plasma sintering using different sintering temperatures. The microstructural evolution and thermoelectric properties of the samples were investigated in detail. The samples obtained with sintering temperature above 1223 K had higher relative densities and higher electronic conductivity than the sample sintered at 1073 K. These results were supported by the solid-state reaction completion rate, which suggested that sintering temperature above 1223 K would be preferable for complete solid-state reaction of the samples. The sintering mechanism of ZnO particles and microstructure evolution at different sintering temperatures were investigated by simulation of the self-Joule-heating effect of the individual particles.