Laser-sintered thin films of doped SiGe nanoparticles

TL;DR

This study investigates the morphology and thermoelectric properties of laser-sintered SiGe nanoparticle thin films, revealing their porous structure and temperature-dependent electrical conductivity, with implications for thermoelectric applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel laser-sintering process for SiGe nanoparticle films and characterizes their thermoelectric properties and morphology.

Findings

Porous macroporous network with 300 nm thickness

Seebeck coefficient remains consistent regardless of sintering process

Electrical conductivity increases with temperature following a power-law

Abstract

We present a study of the morphology and the thermoelectric properties of short-pulse laser-sintered (LS) nanoparticle (NP) thin films, consisting of SiGe alloy NPs or composites of Si and Ge NPs. Laser-sintering of spin-coated NP films in vacuum results in a macroporous percolating network with a typical thickness of 300 nm. The Seebeck coefficient is independent of the sintering process and typical for degenerate doping. The electrical conductivity of LS films rises with increasing temperature, best described by a power-law and influenced by two-dimensional percolation effects.