Electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power of polycrystalline and amorphous Se-Te-Cu system

The dark electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power have been measured for the bulk ternary alloy Se-Te-Cu. The samples were both polycrystalline and amorphous in structure. The measurements were carried out below room t emperature. Depending on Cu addition, crystallographic structure, and amorp hous or polycrystalline state, the samples manifested semiconducting or met allic behaviour. The maximum difference in electrical resistivity magnitude was of 14 orders. The activation energy Delta E of charge carriers determi ned for all semiconducting samples ranged from 0.07 to 0.25 eV. An increase in thermoelectric power resulting from the electron-phonon mass enhancemen t was estimated. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.