In-plane thermal and thermoelectric properties of misfit-layered [(PbSe)0.99]x(WSe2)x superlattice thin films

The in-plane thermal conductivity is measured to be three times lower in misfit-layered [(PbSe)0.99]x(WSe2)x superlattice thin films than disordered-layered WSe2 because of interface scattering despite a higher cross-plane value in the former than the latter. While having little effect on the in-plane thermal conductivity, annealing the p-type [(PbSe)0.99]2(WSe2)2 films in Se increases the in-plane Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity because of decreased defect and hole concentrations. Increasing interface density of the annealed films by decreasing x from 4 to 2 has weak influence on the in-plane thermal conductivity but increases the Seebeck coefficient and decreases the room-temperature electrical conductivity.