Direct Measurement of Optical Absorption for Si–Ge–Au Amorphous Thin Films by Using Photoacoustic Spectroscopy
Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: We have already reported the extremely high thermoelectric properties of Si–Ge–Au amorphous thin films. The thermoelectric properties of such films change slowly during annealing cycles. In this paper, we describe the absorption spectra of the films by using photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) to clarify the change mechanism of these thermoelectric properties. Si–Ge–Au amorphous thin films were prepared by the alternate deposition of a non doped Si layer and a heavily Au doped Ge layer. The peak positions of the absorption spectra shift in a complex way with annealing, where the thermoelectric properties change. In these annealing cycles, we assume three stages to explain the mechanism of the change in the thermoelectric properties: the collapse of the superlattice, compositional diffusion and the termination of recrystallization at 673 K. We conclude that the change in the thermoelectric properties is explained by these three stages.
DOI: 10.1143/jjap.46.4622
Institution: National Defense Academy of Japan
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2087315673