Electronic transport properties of Te-doped CoSb₃ skutterudites prepared by hot pressing

Te-doped CoSb3 (CoSb3-yTey) skutterudites were prepared by hot pressing and their electronic transport properties examined. A single delta-phase was successfully obtained. The Seebeck and Hall coefficients confirmed that all the Te-doped CoSb3 showed n-type conduction. The Te atoms successfully acted as electron donors by substitution of the Sb atoms. The carrier concentration increased an order of 10(20) cm(-3) by Te doping, whereas the carrier mobility decreased as the doping content increased. The Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity decreased with an increase in the Te content. The doping considerably reduced the thermal conductivity due to electron-phonon scattering. The lattice contribution was dominant over the electronic contribution.