Thermoelectric studies on semiconducting Ag2Te thin films: Temperature and dimensional effects

Ag2Te thin films with thicknesses in the range 600 1400 have been prepared by vacuum deposition at a pressure of 5 × 10-5 Torr on clean glass substrates held at room temperature. The thermoelectromotive force of these films has been measured in the temperature range 300 415 K, that is, below the phase-transition temperature. It is found that the thermoelectric power of Ag2Te thin films in the above temperature range exhibits degenerate semiconductor behavior, this is, a linear increase in the thermoelectric power with rising temperature. It is also found that the thermoelectric power obeys the inverse thickness dependence predicted by classical size-effect theories. © 1984 The American Physical Society.