Temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of an indium gallium zinc oxide thin film

Transparent conducting oxides are an exciting family of materials with applications ranging from display technologies to alternative energy generation. One interesting possibility is the use of these materials in thermoelectric energy generation. Amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-InGaZnO) has been shown to have favorable properties for high thermoelectric efficiency. Given the critical role lattice thermal conductivity plays in determining the efficiency of thermoelectric energy generation, we examine the thermal conductivity of this thin film material at temperatures between roughly 117K and 352 K. We begin with a brief introduction to heat transport and a discussion of the thermoelectric effect. The 3ω technique, which we employ to determine the thermal conductivity of an a-InGaZnO film, is discussed in detail. Thin film deposition and materials characterization will be discussed. Finally, we present our experimentally measured thermal conductivities of a-InGaZnO. We close by acknowledging work that remains for the future