Thermoelectric studies on semiconductingAg2Te thin films: Temperature and dimensional effects

${\mathrm{Ag}}_2$Te thin films with thicknesses in the range 600—1400 Å have been prepared by vacuum deposition at a pressure of 5 × ${10}^{-5\mathrm{}}$ Torr on clean glass substrates held at room temperature. The thermoelectromotive force of these films has been measured in the temperature range 300—415 K, that is, below the phase-transition temperature. It is found that the thermoelectric power of ${\mathrm{Ag}}_2$Te thin films in the above temperature range exhibits degenerate semiconductor behavior, this is, a linear increase in the thermoelectric power with rising temperature. It is also found that the thermoelectric power obeys the inverse thickness dependence predicted by classical size-effect theories.