MOLECULAR CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTALS, vol.717, no.1, pp.32-39, 2021 (SCI-Expanded)
SnTe single crystals with super-stoichiometric Sn up to 1.0 at.% were grown, their electrical conductivity sigma, thermo-e.m.f. alpha and thermal conductivity chi coefficients, as well as the electrical properties of their contacts with Bi-Sn eutectic in the range 90-300 K have been studied. The electronic and lattice components of thermal conductivity as well as thermal resistance created by structural vacancies were determined. It was shown that the temperature dependences of the electrical conductivity and the thermo-e.m.f. coefficient of the samples are well explained by the model of two valence bands, and the thermal conductivity by phonon-phonon scattering. Excess tin atoms up to 0.05 at.% creating donor scattering phonon centers in SnTe crystals reduce thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of samples, and above 0.05 at.% filling vacancies increase chi and sigma of the samples. The contacts are ohmic and low resistance enough, and the current flows through them along metal shunts formed during the creation of the contact.