Peculiarities of the figure of merit temperature dependence in n-Bi/sub 2/(Te,Se)/sub 3/ solid solution at low charge carrier concentration

A study has been made of the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric properties of n-Bi/sub 2/(Te,Se)/sub 3/ solid solutions (x=0.3 and 0.36). An optimal charge carrier concentration in the low temperature range (80-120) K was provided with addition of excess Te. A minimum of the Z=f(T) relation was observed near 120 K; the value of Z is increased when the temperature falls to 80 K. This may be explained by the absence of interband scattering of carriers at the studied carrier concentrations.