Multi-doping in SnTe: Improvement of Thermoelectric Performance due to Lower Thermal Conductivity and Enhanced Power Factor

In recent years, tin telluride (SnTe) has attracted considerable interest due to its potential thermoelectric application as a lead-free rock-salt analogue of PbTe. However, pristine SnTe samples show high thermal conductivity and low Seebeck coefficients, resulting in poor thermoelectric performance. In this study, the thermoelectric performance of SnTe was enhanced by well-designed multi-doping, where significantly reduced thermal conductivity and improved Seebeck coefficients were achieved at the same time. The doped SnTe samples were prepared by hot pressing. The lattice thermal conductivity of SnTe samples is obviously decreased by alloying with Se and S. The transmission electron microscope shows the existence of larger amount of nano-precipitates and the lattice distortions in the alloyed samples. For example, the lattice thermal conductivity of SnTe_0.7S_0.15Se_0.15 sample is reduced to 0.99 W∙m^-1∙K^-1 at 300 K. The results reveal that the Seebeck coefficients are improved by introducing In resonant state in the band structure of SnTe. The experiments suggest the effectiveness of designed multi-doping in the thermoelectric performance enhancement of SnTe, and a promising ZT of 0.8 at 850 K is achieved in Sn_0.99In_0.01Te_0.7S_0.15Se_0.15. The discovery suggests that SnTe is a promising medium-temperature thermoelectric candidate.