Thermoelectric properties of nanocomposite n-type Cr2O3/Cr thin films deposited by a reactive sputtering

Cr2O3/Cr thin films were deposited on glass substrate via sputtering method at room temperature by using Cr metal target. The deposited films were annealed under various temperatures ranging from 500 to 700 °C in air atmosphere. The structural, chemical, electrical and thermoelectric properties of the annealed Cr2O3/Cr nanocomposites were characterized. Cr2O3/Cr has shown a maximum thermoelectric power factor of 0.44 × 10−4 W/K2m at annealing temperature of 700 °C when measured at 500 °C temperature. The annealed nanocomposite films exhibited an n-type semiconductor.