Implications of doping on microstructure, processing, and thermoelectric performance: The case of PbSe

In this work, we highlight the often-overlooked effects of doping on the microstructure and performance of bulk thermoelectric materials to offer a broader perspective on how dopants interact with their parent material. Using PbSe doped with Na, Ag, and K as a model material system, we combine original computational, experimental, and microscopy data with established trends in material behavior, to provide an in-depth discussion of the relationship between dopants, processing, and microstructure, and their effects on thermoelectric efficiency and thermal stability. Notable observations include differences in the microstructure and mass loss of thermally treated samples of Na- and Ag-doped PbSe, as well as findings that Na and K cations exist predominantly as substitutional point defects while Ag also occupies interstitial sites and exhibits lower solubility. We discuss how these differences in point defect populations are known to affect a dopants’ ability to alter carrier concentration and how they may affect the mechanical properties of PbSe during processing.