High Thermoelectric zT in n‐Type Silver Selenide films at Room Temperature

• Published in: Advanced energy materials 2018-03, Vol.8 (8), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Perez‐Taborda, Jaime Andres, Caballero‐Calero, Olga, Vera‐Londono, Liliana, Briones, Fernando, Martin‐Gonzalez, Marisol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Heat recovery; Magnetron sputtering; Power factor; reactive sputtering; Room temperature; Selenides; Thermal conductivity; Thermoelectricity; thin film; Thin films
• ISSN: 1614-6832; 1614-6840
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201702024

In this work, a zT value as high as 1.2 at room temperature for n‐type Ag2Se films is reported grown by pulsed hybrid reactive magnetron sputtering (PHRMS). PHRMS is a novel technique developed in the lab that allows to grow film of selenides with different compositions in a few minutes with great quality. The improved zT value reported for room temperature results from the combination of the high power factors, similar to the best values reported for bulk Ag2Se (2440 ± 192 µW m−1 K−2), along with a reduced thermoelectric conductivity as low as 0.64 ± 0.1 W m−1 K−1. The maximum power factor for these films is of 4655 ± 407 µW m−1 K−2 at 103 °C. This material shows promise to work for room temperature applications. Obtaining high zT or, in other words, high power factor and low thermal conductivity values close to room temperature for thin films is of high importance to develop a new generation of wearable devices based on thermoelectric heat recovery. A zT value as high as 1.2 at room temperature for n‐type Ag2Se films grown by pulsed hybrid reactive magnetron sputtering is reported. Obtaining such high zT for thin films with this new fabrication method that allows the use of flexible substrates is of high importance to develop a new generation of wearable devices based on thermoelectric heat recovery.