Lower work function of thermoelectric material by ordered arrays

• Published in: Science China. Chemistry Vol. 59; no. 10; pp. 1264 - 1269
• Main Authors: Liu, Gang, Xue, Zhenjie, Xu, Guiying, Yan, Cong, Wang, Tie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Science China Press 01.10.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Intermetallic compounds; PbTe; Photoelectrons; Substrates; Surface roughness; Thermoelectric materials; Work functions; 功函数; 导体系统; 有序结构; 有序阵列; 热电材料; 紫外光电子能谱; 表面粗糙度; PbTe nanocubes; P-N sections; Te; work function; Bi; Sb
• ISSN: 1674-7291; 1869-1870
• DOI: 10.1007/s11426-016-0097-3

In this paper, PbTe nanocubes are assembled on Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 substrates with both ordered and disordered structures through a straightforward method to form a P-N section. The work function of such semiconductor system is then measured by the ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. This results show that the work function of orderly arrayed PbTe deposition is much lower than the disordered assemblies. Such change of the work function provides the possibility to tune it in a P-N section system. The change of the work function is attributed to the less surface roughness and easier electron escaping in the ordered structures.