ULTRAFINE-PARTICLE BEAM DEPOSITION .3. APPLICATIONS TO THERMOELECTRIC-MATERIALS

In an attempt to demonstrate a wider applicability of our handling technique of ultrafine particles, called ''ultrafine particles beam deposition,'' the following procedures were applied to prepare films composed of elements such as Fe, Si and/or O, which possess thermoelectric properties: (i) preparation of iron silicide alloy film derived from FeSi2+x (-1 < x < 1) alloyed ultrafine particles; (ii) film formation under reactive oxidation of FeSi2+x (0<x<1) ultrafine particles; (iii) twin-beam deposition comprising independent Fe and SiO ultrafine-particle beams. Within the limitations of our experiments, the films prepared by the third procedure were found to exhibit a Seebeck coefficient and electric conductivity very close or superior to those of the corresponding bulk material.