Regular ArticleEffect of the crystal structure on the electronic structure and electrical properties of thermoelectric GeSb6Te10 prepared by hot pressing

GeSb6Te10 is a potential thermoelectric material for the middle-temperature range, but its crystal structure is significantly affected by the preparation process, possibly leading to differences in the electrical properties depending on the preparation process. In the present study, the crystal structure and electrical properties of hot-pressed GeSb6Te10 were experimentally investigated and compared with those of melt-prepared and spark plasma sintering (SPS)-consolidated samples. We also discuss how changes in the crystal structure induced after hot pressing would affect the electronic band structure of the sample using the results of first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory.

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