Thermoelectric performance of electron and hole doped PtSb2

We investigate the thermoelectric properties of electron and hole doped PtSb2. Our results show that for doping of 0.04 holes per unit cell (1.5 x 10(20) cm(-3)) PtSb2 shows a high Seebeck coefficient at room temperature, which can also be achieved at other temperatures by controlling the carrier concentration (both electron and hole). The electrical conductivity becomes temperature independent when the doping exceeds some 0.2 electrons/holes per unit cell. The figure of merit at 800 K in electron and hole doped PtSb2 is comparatively low at 0.13 and 0.21, respectively, but may increase significantly with As alloying due to the likely opening of a band gap and reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.