Study of the properties of solid solutions on bismuth and antimony chalkogenides base in the process of ordered structure formation

Using metallographic analysis, measurements of heat conductivity, thermal e.m.f. and electric conductivity, the processes of ordering in solid solutions of the Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3 and Sb2Te3-Sb2Se3 systems were investigated. It was shown that ordered structures are formed by alloys of the Bi2Te3-Sb2Te3 system at ratios of starting components of 2:1 and 1:2 and by the Sb2Te3-Sb2Se3 system in the range of solid solutions based on Sb2Te3 at ratios Sb2Te3:Sb2Se3=2:1. Ordering of the structure in alloys was observed after they were hardened from 500 deg C and subsequently annealed at low temperature and involved a drop in the heat conductivity at the initial stage of the ordering process. When annealing was continued, the heat conductivity increased again and attained a value corresponding to an ordered state