Enhancing Thermoelectric Efficiency in CrSi2 Films through Al Ion Implantation-Induced Energy Filtering

Mariana M. Timm; Hugo Bouteiller; Barbara Konrad; Erwan Oliviero; Jean François Barbot; David Troadec; Paulo F.P. Fichtner; Nicole Fréty

doi:10.1021/acsaelm.4c01660

Enhancing Thermoelectric Efficiency in CrSi₂ Films through Al Ion Implantation-Induced Energy Filtering

Mariana M. Timm
, Hugo Bouteiller
, Barbara Konrad
, Erwan Oliviero
, Jean François Barbot
, David Troadec
, Paulo F.P. Fichtner
, Nicole Fréty

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article reports the effects of Al ion implantation and thermal history on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of amorphous CrSi₂ thin films. Approximately 270 nm thick CrSi₂ films were produced by magnetron sputtering and deposited onto a SiO₂/Si substrate. Samples were then implanted with Al ions to achieve a concentration-depth plateau of about 1 at. % along the film thickness. The implantations were performed at room temperature or 250 °C. Postimplantation thermal annealing processes were performed for 1 h at 250 °C. This study shows that the electrical transport properties were significantly affected in the case of the formation of nanocrystallites, showing increased electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient compared to the reference. The results were attributed to an energy filtering effect caused by interfaces and boundaries stemming from a dense array of crystallites, blocking low-energy charge carriers and resulting in a significant gain in the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	246-252
Number of pages	7
Journal	ACS Applied Electronic Materials
Volume	7
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaelm.4c01660
State	Published - Jan 14 2025
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the use of the facilities from the Laboratório de Implantação Iônica - UFRGS, from the Plateforme MEA - Université de Montpellier, and from the Centrale de Technologie en Micro et nanoélectronique (CTM) - Université de Montpellier and IEMN, Lille, France, for the FIB sample preparation. This study was partially financed by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - Brazil (CNPq) and by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001, and partially supported by the French RENATECH network. Financial support from the French government under the program “Investissements d’Avenir” (EUR INTREE, reference ANR-18-EURE-0010, LABEX INTERACTIFS, reference ANR-11-LABEX-0017-01 and UP-SQUARE, reference ANR-21-EXES-0013) is also acknowledged. The authors would like to acknowledge the use of the facilities from the Laboratório de Implantação Iônica – UFRGS, from the Plateforme MEA – Université de Montpellier, and from the Centrale de Technologie en Micro et nanoélectronique (CTM) - Université de Montpellier and IEMN, Lille, France, for the FIB sample preparation. This study was partially financed by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – Brazil (CNPq) and by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001, and partially supported by the French RENATECH network. Financial support from the French government under the program “Investissements d’Avenir” (EUR INTREE, reference ANR-18-EURE-0010, LABEX INTERACTIFS, reference ANR-11-LABEX-0017-01 and UP-SQUARE, reference ANR-21-EXES-0013) is also acknowledged.

Keywords

amorphous CrSi
energy filtering effect
ion implantation
thermoelectricity
thin films

Access to Document

10.1021/acsaelm.4c01660

Cite this

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title = "Enhancing Thermoelectric Efficiency in CrSi2 Films through Al Ion Implantation-Induced Energy Filtering",

abstract = "This article reports the effects of Al ion implantation and thermal history on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of amorphous CrSi2 thin films. Approximately 270 nm thick CrSi2 films were produced by magnetron sputtering and deposited onto a SiO2/Si substrate. Samples were then implanted with Al ions to achieve a concentration-depth plateau of about 1 at. \% along the film thickness. The implantations were performed at room temperature or 250 °C. Postimplantation thermal annealing processes were performed for 1 h at 250 °C. This study shows that the electrical transport properties were significantly affected in the case of the formation of nanocrystallites, showing increased electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient compared to the reference. The results were attributed to an energy filtering effect caused by interfaces and boundaries stemming from a dense array of crystallites, blocking low-energy charge carriers and resulting in a significant gain in the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.",

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AU - Timm, Mariana M.

AU - Bouteiller, Hugo

AU - Konrad, Barbara

AU - Oliviero, Erwan

AU - Barbot, Jean François

AU - Troadec, David

AU - Fichtner, Paulo F.P.

AU - Fréty, Nicole

PY - 2025/1/14

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N2 - This article reports the effects of Al ion implantation and thermal history on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of amorphous CrSi2 thin films. Approximately 270 nm thick CrSi2 films were produced by magnetron sputtering and deposited onto a SiO2/Si substrate. Samples were then implanted with Al ions to achieve a concentration-depth plateau of about 1 at. % along the film thickness. The implantations were performed at room temperature or 250 °C. Postimplantation thermal annealing processes were performed for 1 h at 250 °C. This study shows that the electrical transport properties were significantly affected in the case of the formation of nanocrystallites, showing increased electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient compared to the reference. The results were attributed to an energy filtering effect caused by interfaces and boundaries stemming from a dense array of crystallites, blocking low-energy charge carriers and resulting in a significant gain in the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.

AB - This article reports the effects of Al ion implantation and thermal history on the microstructure and thermoelectric properties of amorphous CrSi2 thin films. Approximately 270 nm thick CrSi2 films were produced by magnetron sputtering and deposited onto a SiO2/Si substrate. Samples were then implanted with Al ions to achieve a concentration-depth plateau of about 1 at. % along the film thickness. The implantations were performed at room temperature or 250 °C. Postimplantation thermal annealing processes were performed for 1 h at 250 °C. This study shows that the electrical transport properties were significantly affected in the case of the formation of nanocrystallites, showing increased electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient compared to the reference. The results were attributed to an energy filtering effect caused by interfaces and boundaries stemming from a dense array of crystallites, blocking low-energy charge carriers and resulting in a significant gain in the Seebeck coefficient and power factor.

KW - amorphous CrSi

KW - energy filtering effect

KW - ion implantation

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