Experimental investigation of thermoelectric properties of Bi/sub 1-x/Sb/sub x/ nanowire arrays

Temperature-dependent resistance and Seebeck coefficient measurements were performed on Bi/sub 1-x/Sb/sub x/ nanowire arrays with various wire diameters and Sb contents. The results showed enhanced thermopower and complex R(T) behavior due to the unique semimetal-to-semiconductor transition predicted for Bi-related nanowire systems. The agreement between theoretical calculations and experimental results not only supports the model we used, but also validates the promising thermoelectric properties predicted for Bi/sub 1-x/Sb/sub x/ nanowire systems.