A Quintuple-Layered Binary Chalcogenide Sb₂Te₃ Single Crystal and Its Transport Properties for Thermoelectric...

The binary chalcogenide material Sb₂Te₃ was synthesized via the melting technique. The synthesized materials were converted to a single crystal through the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique. The phase purity and structural properties of the grown crystal were analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy reveals the local intermolecular bonding, changes in the stoichiometry, and the oxidation states of the elements present in the crystal. Transport properties like electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity were measured. The power factor and figure of merit (ZT) of the grown crystal were calculated.