Electrodeposition of BixSb2−xTey thermoelectric thin films from nitric acid and hydrochloric acid systems

The electrochemical behaviors of BiIII, TeIV and SbIII single ions and their mixtures were investigated in nitric acid and hydrochloric acid system separately. Based on which, BixSb2−xTey thermoelectric films were prepared by potentiostatic electrodeposition from the solutions with different concentrations of BiIII, TeIV and SbIII in the two acid systems. The morphologies, compositions, structures, Seebeck coefficients and resistivities of the deposited thin films were characterized and compared by ESEM (or FESEM), EDS, XRD, Seebeck coefficient measurement system and four-probe resistivity measuring device respectively. The results show that although BixSb2−xTey thermoelectric thin film which structure is consistent with the standard pattern of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 can be gained in both of the two acid solutions by adjusting the deposition potential, their morphologies and thermoelectric properties have big differences in different acid solutions.