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This study investigates how adding nickel (Ni) to bismuth-antimony-telluride alloys (Bi1.8−xNixSb0.2Te3) changes their electrical properties from n-type to p-type semiconductors through defect engineering. The researchers found that nickel doping creates specific crystal defects that alter charge carrier types while simultaneously improving the material's thermoelectric performance, which measures how efficiently it converts heat to electricity. The transition occurs because nickel substitution modifies the electronic structure and introduces acceptor-type defects that favor hole conduction over electron conduction.
Why it matters
This research provides a pathway to engineer better thermoelectric materials for waste heat recovery and solid-state cooling applications. The ability to control semiconductor type through strategic defect introduction could lead to more efficient energy conversion devices in industrial processes, automotive systems, and electronic cooling.
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