Transparent thermoelectric properties of copper iodide thin films

Abstract

Copper Iodide (CuI) transparent thin films were synthesized by using the as-deposited Cu thin film dip in the Iodine (I2) solution (1% per 100 cc.) for 15s, 30s, and 60s within the liquid iodination method. The as-deposited Cu thin films on glass slide substrates as used were prepared by a dc magnetron sputtering method from the Cu target. The microstructure, morphology, and thermoelectric properties were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the ZEM-3 method, respectively. The optical property of the film samples was determined from measured transmittance using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. The optical bandgap energy is 3.0 eV and the transmittance is around 80–95% for the thin film as dipped 30s. At room temperature, the power factor of Cul thin films were 14.71, 17.49, and 17.48 μW m−1 K−2 for as dipped 15s, 30s, and 60s, respectively.