Thermoelectric Properties of Amorphous and Nanocrystallic Cr0.33Si0.67 Films at Different Annealing Stages in the Range 100–900 K

The thermoelectric properties of thin Cr0.33Si0.67 films in amorphous and crystalline states, as well as at different annealing stages in the temperature range 100–900 K have been studied. The crystallization of amorphous films at a temperature of ~550 K is accompanied by an increase in the resistivity and thermoelectric power. Amorphous films crystallize with the formation of CrSi2 nanocrystals with an average grain size of 10–20 nm. The increase in resistivity is due to the appearance of a crystalline phase and the formation of interphase boundaries between the crystalline and amorphous phases. The scattering of charge carriers at interphase boundaries is selective, which leads to the appearance of an additional contribution to the thermopower.