Transport Properties of CdSb Alloys with a Promising Thermoelectric Performance

Binary group II-V antimonides, especially Zn₄Sb₃ and ZnSb, have shown great potential for thermoelectric applications because of the intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity. Another member from this family, CdSb, has also been revealed to show a promising thermoelectric performance, particularly in its single crystal form. This work focuses on the thermoelectric transport properties of polycrystalline CdSb and Cd_1-ZnSb alloys with various doping. It is shown that Ag doping at the cation site enables the highest hole concentration. The obtained broad range of carrier concentrations ensures a systematical assessment on the transport properties of CdSb-based materials and on its potential for thermoelectric applications, according to an effective single parabolic band (SPB) approximation with acoustic phonon scattering. This work not only details the fundamental parameters that determine the thermoelectric performance but also demonstrates CdSb alloys as highly efficient thermoelectrics.