Thermoelectric Transport in PbSe Quantum Wells

The objects of the study are KCl/PbSe/EuSe quantum wells with PbSe layer thickness in the range d=5-420 nm. The thickness and temperature (77-300 K) dependences of the thermoelectric properties were obtained. It was established that as d increases to similar to 20nm, the inversion of the electrical conductivity sign from p to n occurs. In the d-dependences of the properties one can isolate a monotonic and oscillatory components, whose presence is attributed to the manifestation of the classical and quantum size effects, respectively. The oscillatory behavior of properties with the oscillation period Delta d=18 +/- 2 nm is observed in the thickness range up to 80 nm and accompanied by a periodic change in the conductivity sign; at d>80 nm the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, charge carrier mobility, exponent in the temperature dependence of carrier mobility, and power factor change monotonically up to similar to 100-150 nm and after that remain practically constant.