Properties of thermoelectric Ce0.09Fe0.67Co3.33Sb12/FeSb2Te multi-layered structures prepared by laser ablation

•Pulsed laser deposition of multi-layered Ce0.09Fe0.67Co3.33Sb12/FeSb2.1Te systems•Thermoelectric multi-layered structures with room temperature value of ZT = 0.12•Study of thermoelectric skutterudite thin films and multi-layered systems

Multi-layered Ce0.09Fe0.67Co3.33Sb12/FeSb2.1Te structures composed of thin equidistant layers of different thickness were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on fused silica quartz glass substrates. The structures were prepared at substrate temperatures (230 °C or 250 °C) applying the same laser beam energy density (3 J cm− 2). In the contribution we present some thermoelectric properties such as in-plane electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient and the power factor of the multi-layered structures in the temperature range from 300 K to 500 K. Comparison of multi-layered structure's thermoelectric properties with single thin Ce0.09Fe0.67Co3.33Sb12 and FeSb2.1Te layers is given. X-ray diffraction patterns are shown. A cross-sectional picture of the multi-layered structure made by scanning electron microscope is given for the thicker multi-layered structure.