Thermoelectric property of Fe3O4 thin films grown onto the SiO2 (250 nm)/Si and c-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) substrate at 573 K using pulsed laser deposition

Fe3O4 thin films were grown at 573 K onto SiO2/Si (0 0 1) and c-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) single-crystal substrates using pulsed laser deposition in order to investigate the effect of thermoelectric properties on substrates. The thermoelectric properties of the Fe3O4 films were observed above 300 K. An increase in the thickness of the Fe3O4 films grown onto a SiO2 (250 nm)/Si (0 0 1) substrate produced a decrease in the Seebeck coefficient and it was approached to the absolute value (∼60 μV/K) observed at the films grown on c-Al2O3 substrate as the SiO2 thickness was increased from 250 to 750 nm. The Seebeck coefficient of the Fe3O4 films was definitely depended on the Si (0 0 1) substrate.