Increasing the doping efficiency by post-deposition annealing in a-SiGe:H films synthesized by PECVD

An acceptable thermoelectric efficiency is related to a figure of merit ZT >= 1, its value increases with a high value of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, and with a low thermal conductivity. The amorphous SiGe:H has a high Seebeck coefficient and low thermal conductivity, the only thing that they need to become a good thermoelectric material is a high electrical conductivity, for this reason the present work demonstrates the increase of the electrical conductivity of highly doped films of a-SiGe:H types P and N by annealing. The highest electrical conductivity value of the films was found in 4% of doping in gas phase. The P and N type samples were doped in the range from 4% to 16% with Boron and Phosphorus. After thermal treatment, both had an increase in their electrical conductivity value of three and two order of magnitude respectively. Also, the explanation of the activation mechanism of both impurities is given.