Optimization of Thermoelectric Properties and Physical Mechanisms of Cu<sub>2</sub>Se-Based Thin Films via Heat Treatment
Haobin Li,
Fu Li,
Yuexing Chen,
Guangxing Liang,
Jingting Luo,
Meng Wei,
Zhi Zheng,
Zhuanghao Zheng
Affiliations
Haobin Li
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Fu Li
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Yuexing Chen
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Guangxing Liang
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Jingting Luo
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Meng Wei
Key Laboratory for Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, College of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, China
Zhi Zheng
Key Laboratory for Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, College of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, China
Zhuanghao Zheng
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Cu2Se is an attractive thermoelectric material due to its layered structure, low cost, environmental compatibility, and non-toxicity. These traits make it a promising replacement for conventional thermoelectric materials in large-scale applications. This study focuses on preparing Cu2Se flexible thin films through in situ magnetron sputtering technology while carefully optimizing key preparation parameters, and explores the physical mechanism of thermoelectric property enhancement, especially the power factor. The films are deposited onto flexible polyimide substrates. Experimental findings demonstrate that films grown at a base temperature of 200 °C exhibit favorable performance. Furthermore, annealing heat treatment effectively regulates the Cu element content in the film samples, which reduces carrier concentration and enhances the Seebeck coefficient, ultimately improving the power factor of the materials. Compared to the unannealed samples, the sample annealed at 300 °C exhibited a significant increase in room temperature Seebeck coefficient, rising from 9.13 μVK−1 to 26.73 μVK−1. Concurrently, the power factor improved from 0.33 μWcm−1K−2 to 1.43 μWcm−1K−2.
