Electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power of (GeTe)1−x(Bi2Te3)x solid solutions (0 ≤x≤ 0.05) in the temperature interval from 80 to 350 K

Abstract

AbstractElectrical conductivity σ, Hall coefficient RH, and thermoelectric power (Seebeck coefficient) S are measured for (GeTe)1−x(Bi2Te3)x solid solutions with 0≤ × ≤ 0.05 in the temperature range 80 to 350 K. On the basis of these investigations some information on the carrier scattering mechanisms in the alloys is obtained. The electrical resistivity ϱ = 1/σ is analyzed as function of temperature T and composition x in the above‐mentioned temperature interval and resistivity contributions due to acoustic phonon scattering (ϱac) and to scattering by defects (germanium vacancies, impurity atoms, etc.) and alloy scattering are distinguished. From the results it may be shown that the acoustic phonon resistivity increases nearly linearly with temperature. At low temperatures the resistivity due to defects ϱdef is almost constant and slowly increases at temperatures T > 250 K.