Thermal conductivity measurements of solid Sb₂Te₃ by hot-strip method

The thermal conductivity of solid Sb₂Te₃ has been measured by the hot strip method from room temperature to 789 K. The thermal conductivity of solid Sb₂Te₃ decreases with an increase in temperature up to approximately 500 K and then increases. It is proposed that phonon thermal conduction dominates the heat transport around room temperature although other mechanisms such as electron and ambipolar diffusion are also in operation. Ambipolar diffusion is thought to be more dominant at higher temperature and contributes to the increase in the thermal conductivity.