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Advances in flexible telluride thin-film thermoelectric generators: Deposition, performance, and module fabrication
Author(s)
Theekhasuk, Nattharika
Kianwimol, Supasak
Khumtong, Thanakorn
Toan, Nguyen Van
Date Issued
April 1, 2026
Type
Article
Abstract
Flexible thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are gaining increasing attention for wearable and skin-attachable electronics due to their ability to harvest low-grade heat from the human body. In this work, p-type Sb2Te3 and n-type Bi2Te3 thin films were deposited by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering, and the effects of post-deposition annealing on their structural, electrical, and thermal transport properties were systematically evaluated. X-ray diffraction revealed that n-Bi2Te3 exhibited higher crystallinity than p-Sb2Te3, attributed to its lower formation energy. Annealing at 250 °C markedly enhanced the electrical conductivity of both films, with p-Sb2Te3 showing a larger improvement due to concurrent increases in carrier concentration and mobility driven by Te volatilization and the formation of acceptor-type vacancies and antisite defects. In contrast, n-Bi2Te3 exhibited a slight reduction in carrier concentration as a result of compensating donor defects. Consequently, maximum ZT values of approximately 0.5 for p-Sb2Te3 and 0.25 for n-Bi2Te3 were achieved at 513 K. Notably, the compatibility factor (S) values of both films differed by less than a factor of two, indicating favorable thermodynamic pairing for p–n module assembly. A flexible TEG module with 12 thermocouples was subsequently fabricated and delivered an output power of 0.65 μW at ΔT < 25 K, demonstrating promising potential for scalable self-powered wearable electronics.
Citation
Ceramics International, 52(9), 13035-13044, 2026