Thermoelectric properties of Bi1-xSnxCuSeO solid solutions

We report the enhanced thermoelectric properties of p-type BiCuSeO by tin doping on bismuth sites. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis and Hall measurements indicated effective tin doping in all samples. We found that the doping efficiency of Sn is lower than expected, as seen from the measured carrier concentration. First-principles calculations indicate that the Sn lone pair modifies the band structure at the Fermi level, with the consequent effect observed in the electrical transport and Seebeck coefficient measurements. An enhanced thermoelectric power factor of similar to 2.5 mu W cm(-1) K-2 was reached at 773 K. No significant effect of Sn doping on the thermal conductivity was found; a thermoelectric figure of merit value (ZT) of 0.3 at 773 K is achieved for Bi0.9Sn0.1CuSeO, which is more than twice that of the pristine BiCuSeO.