Electrical transport properties of TiCoSb half-Heusler phases that exhibit high resistivity

Abstract

Electrical transport measurements have been performed on doped and undoped TiCoSb half-Heusler phases. The semiconducting properties are found to be more robust than those reported for MNiSn (M = Ti, Zr, Hf ). Undoped TiCoSb phases exhibit large n-type Seebeck coefficients and high resistivities that reach -500 µV K-1 at 300 K and ~1500 Ω cm at 4.2 K, respectively. A tendency towards carrier localization is seen in several disordered phases. The effects due to n-type and p-type dopants are readily manifested in the thermopower, from which moderately heavy electron and hole band masses are inferred. The unusual properties measured are consistent with the prediction of a wide bandgap for the TiCoSb phase. A resistivity minimum is observed at 500-600 K for undoped and V-doped TiCoSb. Consequently, the semiconducting gap has not been determined.