Nanostructure and thermoelectric properties of ReSi 2+/-x thin films

Anomalies in the nanostructure evolution of ReSi(2+/-x) thin films have proved to be of large interest in connection with their thermoelectric properties. By means of electron microscopic methods the correlation between structural properties and transport behaviour has been studied. The short-range order of the amorphous state was characterised by reduced density functions calculated from diffuse electron diffraction diagram and is found to correlate with the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance. The crystallisation process observed in situ in the transmission electron microscope starts with the formation of relatively large ReSi(1.75) grains (up to 100 nm). In later stages, only smaller grains are growing. This leads to a decrease in the mean grain size and to the increase of the nanocrystalline volume fraction during the heat treatment. This behaviour allows the investigation of the thermopower as function of the nanocrystalline volume fraction. Thus, at a nanocrystalline content of about 35% the thermopower exhibits a maximum in accordance with calculations.