1998 Volume 39 Issue 6 Pages 672-678
PbTe single crystals were prepared by the Bridgman method, where either Ag2Te or PbI2 was doped as the source material of silver or iodine. The hole concentration was successfully controlled in the range from 2.0×1024 to 9.0×1024 m−3 by doping 100 to 700 mol ppm Ag2Te, and then the conduction type changed at 1000 mol ppm. By doping 100 to 650 mol ppm PbI2, the hole concentration decreased from 4.5×1024 to 3.5×1023 m−3. The conduction type changed from p- to n-type in the region of more than 700 mol ppm PbI2, where electron concentration was controlled in the range from 5.0×1022 to 5.0×1025 m−3 by doping 700 to 6000 mol ppm. Scattering factor (r) was estimated for both p- and n-type PbTe from the temperature dependence of Hall mobility in the range of 77 to 300 K. Thermal conductivity (κ) at 300 K was calculated in terms of the carrier concentration by evaluating the lattice (κph) and electronic (κel) components. The κel was estimated on the basis of Fermi integral by using observed data on thermoelectric power (α) and r, while the κph was estimated to be 2.15 Wm−1K−1 using calculated κel value and the observed κ data for undoped PbTe. Maximum figures of merits (Zmax) of PbTe at 300 K were 1.21×10−3 K−1 for the n-type at n=2.76×1024 m−3 (2000 mol ppm PbI2) and 1.38×10−3 K−1 for p-type at p=2.34×1024 m−3 (200 mol ppm Ag2Te).