• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 2000

$(Bi_{0.15}Sb_{0.85})_2Te_3$ and $(Bi_{1-x}Sb_x)_2Te_3$ thermoelectric thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering process, and their thermoelectric characteristics were investigated with variation of the sputtering condition and the $Sb_2Te_3$ content. The $(Bi_{0.15}Sb_{0.85})_2Te_3$ film, deposited by DC sputtering at $300^{\circ}C$ with rotating the Corning glass substrate at 10 rpm, was fully crystallized to $(Bi,Sb)_2Te_3$ phase with c-axis preferred orientation. This $(Bi_{0.15}Sb_{0.85})_2Te_3$ film exhibited the Seebeck coefficient of 185 $\mu$V/K which was higher than the values of other $(Bi_{0.15}Sb_{0.85})_2Te_3$ films fabricated with different sputtering conditions. With increasing the $Sb_2Te_3$ content, the Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of p-type $(Bi_{1-x}Sb_x)_2Te_3$ (0.77$\leq$x$\leq$1.0) film were lowered. Among p-type $(Bi_{1-x}Sb_x)_2Te_3$ films, a maximum power factor of $0.79{\times}10^{-3}W/K^2-m$ was obtained at (Bi_{0.05}Sb_{0.95})_2Te_3$ composition..

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

Effects of annealing process in a reduction ambient on thermoelectric properties of the $(Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_3$ thin films prepared by thermal evaporation have been investigated. With annealing at $300^{\circ}C$ for 2 hrs in a reduction ambient(50% $H_2$+50% Ar), the crystallinity of the $(Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_3$ thin films were substantially improved with remarkable increase in the grain size. Seebeck coefficients of the $(Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_3$ thin films increased from$\sim90{\mu}V/K$ to $\sim180{\mu}V/K$ with annealing in the reduction ambient due to decrease in the hole concentration. Power factors of the $(Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_3$ thin films were remarkably improved for $5\sim16$ times with annealing in the reduction atmosphere. After annealing in the reduction ambient, a $(Bi,Sb)_{2}Te_3$ evaporated film exhibited a maximum power factor of $18.6\times10^{-4}W/K^{2}-m$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1123-1127
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• 2010

We report a simple and quick route for the preparation of high-quality, nearly monodisperse $Bi_2Te_3$, $Sb_2Te_3$, and $Bi_xSb_{2-x}-Te_3$ nanocrystallites. The reactions of bismuth acetate or antimony acetate with Te in oleic acid result in pure phase of $Bi_2Te_3$ or $Sb_2Te_3$ nanoparticles, respectively. Also, ternary $Bi_xSb_{2-x}Te_3$ nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the same method. The size and morphology of the nanoparticles were controlled by varying the stabilizing agents. The as-prepared nanoparticles are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope using an energy dispersive spectroscopy.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.911-917
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• 2002

0.5 at% $Na_2$Te-doped ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te and ($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ powders were fabricated by mechanical alloying process. 0.5 at% Na$_2$Te-doped ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te powders were charged at one end of mold and ($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ powders were charged at the other end of a mold. Then these powders were hot-pressed to form p-type ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te/($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ functional gradient materials with the segment ratios (the ratio of ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te to ($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ ) of 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1. Power generation characteristics of the ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te/($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ were measured. When the temperature difference ΔT at both ends of the specimen was larger than $300^{\circ}C$, the ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te/($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ with the segment ratios of 1:2 and 1:1 exhibited larger output power than those of the ($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ and 0.5 at% $Na_2$ Te-doped ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te alloys. The maximum output power of the ($Pb_{0.7}Sn_{0.3}$)Te/($Bi_{0.2}Sb_{0.8}$)$_2$$Te_3$ predicted with the measured Seebeck coefficient and the estimated electrical resistivity was in good agreement with the measured maximum output power.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.248-255
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• 2009

A micro thermoelectric device was processed by electroplating the n-type Bi-Te nanowires and ptype Sb-Te nanowires into an alumina template with 200 nm pores. Power generation characteristics of the micro devices composed of the Bi-Te nanowires, the Sb-Te nanowires, and both the Bi-Te and the Sb-Te nanowires were analyzed with applying a temperature difference of $40^{\circ}C$ across the devices along the thickness direction. The n-type Bi-Te and the p-type Sb-Te nanowire devices exhibited thermoelectric power outputs of $3.8{\times}10^{-10}W$ and $4.8{\times}10^{-10}W$, respectively. The output power of the device composed of both the Bi-Te and the Sb-Te nanowires decreased to $1.4{\times}10^{-10}W$ due to a large electrical resistance of the Cu electrode connecting the Bi-Te nanowire array with the Sb-Te nanowire array.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.166-166
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• 2003

경제적 효율의 발전을 원칙으로 하는 종래의 틀을 넘어서서 환경공생형의 새로운 에너지 시스템의 개발에 대한 요구가 증대되어 지고 있다. 이러한 시대적 흐름에 부응하는 여러 가지 신재료의 개발에 관한 연구가 이루어지고 있다. 그 중에서 전기를 열로 열을 전기로 변환 시킬 수 있어서 폐열의 이용 및 전자냉각기술 등에 이용 가능한 열전변환재료가 커다란 기대를 모으고 있다. 열전재료는 사용온도 영역에 따라 여러 가지 재료가 개발되어 지고 있으며, 현재 상온부근 및 저온영역에서 응용 가능한 재료로써 Bi$_2$Te$_3$계 고용체에 관한 연구가 활발하게 진행되고 있다. 예를 들어, Bi$_2$Te$_3$ 고용체에서 Bi를 Sb으로 치환한 p-type의 (Bi,Sb)$_2$Te$_3$ 고용체와 Te을 Se으로 치환한 n-type의 Bi$_2$(Te,Se)$_3$ 고용체에 관한 연구가 이루어지고 있다. 최근 들어 Kutasov등은 종래에 P-type의 열전재료로써 높은 특성을 나타내는 것으로 알려진(Bi,Sb)$_2$Te$_3$ 고용체가 Sb의 치환량과 Te의 도핑량을 잘 조절하면 n-type의 높은 열전 특성을 나타낸다고 보고하였다. 본 연구에서는 과잉으로 첨가된 Te이 n-type (Bi,Sb)$_2$Te$_3$ 고용체에 미치는 영향을 보다 체계적으로 조사하기 위한 기초단계의 연구로써 Te을 0-0.9at.%로 과잉 첨가하여 제조한 고용체 및 소결체의 미세구조에 관하여 조사하였다.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1992.05b
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• pp.98-99
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• 1992

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.49-49
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• 1998

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.352-358
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• 2008

The present study focused on the synthesis of a bismuth-antimony-tellurium-based thermoelectric nanopowders using plasma arc discharge process. The chemical composition, phase structure, particle size of the synthesized powders under various synthesis conditions were analyzed using XRF, XRD and SEM. The powders as synthesized were sintered by the plasma activated sintering. The thermoelectric properties of sintered body were analyzed by measuring Seebeck coefficient, specific electric resistivity and thermal conductivity. The chemical composition of the synthesized Bi-Sb-Te-based powders approached that of the raw material with an increasing DC current of the are plasma. The synthesized Bi-Sb-Te-based powder consist of a mixed phase structure of the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_{3}$, $Bi_{2}Te_{3}$ and $Sb_{2}Te_{3}$ phases. This powder has homogeneous mixing state of two different particles in an average particle size; about 100nm and about 500nm. The figure of merit of the sintered body of the synthesized 18.75 wt.%Bi-24.68 wt.%Sb-56.57 wt.%Te nanopowder showed higher value than one of the sintered body of the mechanically milled 12.64 wt.%Bi-29.47 wt.%Sb-57.89 wt.%Te powder.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.336-341
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• 2010

The present study focused on the synthesis of Bi-Sb-Te-based thermoelectric powder by an oxidereduction process. The phase structure, particle size of the synthesized powders were analyzed using XRD and SEM. The synthesized powder was sintered by the spark plasma sintering method. The thermoelectric property of the sintered body was evaluated by measuring the Seebeck coefficient and specific electric resistivity. The $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ powder had been synthesized by a combination of mechanical milling, calcination and reduction processes using mixture of $Bi_2O_3$, $Sb_2O_3$ and $TeO_2$ powders. The sintered body of the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ powder synthesized by an oxide-reduction process showed p-type thermoelectric characteristics, even though it had lower thermoelectric properties than the sintered body of the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_3$ thermoelectric powder synthesized by the conventional melting-crushing method.