Lead-ytterbium-telluride thin films prepared using thermal evaporation technique for thermal sensing applications

► p-Pb0.925Yb0.075Te:Te and n-Pb0.925Yb0.075Te were prepared via thermal evaporation method. ► The FESEM of the thin films were reveals the formation of nanocubes. ► Thermoelectric devices were fabricated and characterized in terms of high Voc and Pmax. ► At ΔT = 162 K, Voc and Pmax with the 20-pairs device were 742.7 mV and 0.657 μW.