Vacancies in SnSe single crystals in a near-equilibrium state

0519172 - FZÚ 2020 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Sraitrova, K. - Čížek, J. - Holý, V. - Plecháček, T. - Beneš, L. - Jarošová, Markéta - Kucek, V. - Drašar, Č.
Vacancies in SnSe single crystals in a near-equilibrium state.
Physical Review B. Roč. 99, č. 3 (2019), s. 1-11, č. článku 035306. ISSN 2469-9950. E-ISSN 2469-9969
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : crystal structure * SnSe * positron-annihilation * intrinsic vacancies
OECD category: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.)
Impact factor: 3.575, year: 2019
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.99.035306

The development of intrinsic vacancies in SnSe single crystals was investigated as a function of annealing temperature by means of positron annihilation spectroscopy accompanied by transport measurements. It has been demonstrated that two types of vacancies are present in single-crystalline SnSe. While Sn vacancies dominate in the low-temperature region, Se vacancies and vacancy clusters govern the high-temperature region. The experiments show that Sn vacancies couple with one or more Se vacancies with increasing temperature to form vacancy clusters. The clusters survive the transition at about 800 K and even grow in size with temperature. The concentration of both Se vacancies and vacancy clusters increases with temperature, similar to thermoelectric performance. This indicates that the extraordinary thermoelectric properties of SnSe are related to point defects.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0304196