title: High quality thin films of thermoelectric misfit cobalt oxides prepared by a chemical solution method.
abstract: Misfit cobaltates ([Bi/Ba/Sr/Ca/CoO]n(RS)[CoO2]q) constitute the most promising family of thermoelectric oxides for high temperature energy harvesting. However, their complex structure and chemical composition makes extremely challenging their deposition by high-vacuum physical techniques. Therefore, many of them have not been prepared as thin films until now. Here we report the synthesis of high-quality epitaxial thin films of the most representative members of this family of compounds by a water-based chemical solution deposition method. The films show an exceptional crystalline quality, with an electrical conductivity and thermopower comparable to single crystals. These properties are linked to the epitaxial matching of the rock-salt layers of the structure to the substrate, producing clean interfaces free of amorphous phases. This is an important step forward for the integration of these materials with complementary n-type thermoelectric oxides in multilayer nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: CIQUS, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials. University of Santiago de Compostela, c/Jenaro de la Fuente, s/n, Campus Vida, 15782-Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rivas-Murias
authors.affiliation: CIQUS, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials. University of Santiago de Compostela, c/Jenaro de la Fuente, s/n, Campus Vida, 15782-Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manuel Vila-Fungueiriño
authors.affiliation: CIQUS, Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials. University of Santiago de Compostela, c/Jenaro de la Fuente, s/n, Campus Vida, 15782-Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivadulla