Fabrication of n-type Bi₂Te₃ film using electrophoretic deposition for thermoelectric applications

Abstract

Fabrication of uniform, crack-free n-type Bi2Te3 films using a fast, cost-effective, electrophoretic deposition method for thermoelectric applications has been reported in this study. The sintering process has been done at 693 K to achieve compact and dense coatings. The microstructures of the surface of the green and sintered films, as well as their thicknesses, have been investigated using SEM, which showed a uniform and even film has resulted using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Furthermore, the Seebeck coefficients of the green and sintered films have been measured and in-plane Seebeck coefficients of 189 μV/K have been recorded for the sintered film at 500 K.