Abstract
The layered-chalcogenide Sb 2 Se 3 has potential for use in photovoltaic devices and thermoelectric coolers, but its practical applications are restricted as bulk Sb 2 Se 3 exhibits high electrical resistivity (ρ). Herein, we synthesize n-type Te-doped Sb 2 Se 3 whiskers with the average feature size of 1 cm length and 200 μm width via a self-assisted vapor-solid (VS) method. In particular, based on the crystallographic identification using techniques of powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, the Te-doped Sb 2 Se 3 whisker grows along a preferred orientation of [010], which is rarely reported for an orthorhombic structure due to the fact that the bonding energy along the c-axis is much stronger. The [010]-oriented Sb 2 Se 3 whisker shows enhanced electrical conductivity, especially compared with its bulk form, and exhibits a high Seebeck value (S) within 300-400 K, resulting in a peak power factor (S 2 /ρ) of ∼7.6 (μW m K -2 ) at 350 K. The peak PF value is 10 4 higher than that of Sb 2 Se 3 bulk and is comparable to that of Sb 2 Se 3 nanotubes, respectively, giving rise to the possibility of utilizing Sb 2 Se 3 in the application of thermoelectric coolers.