Substitutional Tb Incorporation, p–n Conductivity Transition, and Gamma-Irradiation Effects on the Thermoelectric Properties TbₓSn₁₋ₓSe Solid Solutions
Abstract
The physicochemical and thermoelectric properties of TbₓSn₁₋ₓSe (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) solid solutions were systematically investigated with emphasis on composition-driven carrier-type transition and γ-irradiation effects. Differential thermal analysis reveals a monotonic decrease in melting temperature and enthalpy with increasing Tb content, indicating lattice distortion and reduced thermal stability due to the substitutional incorporation of Tb³⁺ at Sn²⁺ sites. X-ray diffraction confirms single-phase orthorhombic (Pnma) structure without secondary phases, while EDX analysis verifies successful Tb incorporation. A composition-induced p-n transition occurs within a narrow concentration range, accompanied by a significant modification of the Seebeck coefficient. γ-irradiation (up to 4-6.5 Mrad) significantly affects the Seebeck coefficient in the low-temperature region (80-300 K), with a nonlinear dose dependence that can be approximated by a quadratic function. At elevated temperatures (T ≥ 500 K), the thermoelectric response exhibits notable radiation stability. The obtained results clearly indicate that Tb doping facilitates a controllable modulation of charge carrier transport properties while preserving the structural integrity and thermal stability of the material at elevated temperatures. These findings underscore the strong potential of Tb-doped systems for advanced thermoelectric applications, particularly under radiation-exposed operating conditions.
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