THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

This invention provides an MnSi<SUB>y</SUB> (1.7 = y = 1.8) based P-type thermoelectric material having a high performance index, and a process for producing the thermoelectric material. This process comprises the steps of providing as raw materials manganese and silicon satisfying stoichiometric composition of manganese silicide MnSi<SUB>y</SUB> as a base material, germanium to be added to the base material, and impurities to be added to the base material, germanium being provided in an amount corresponding to 0.3 at.% to 1 at.% of the sum of silicon and germanium as group 4 elements, melting the raw materials to prepare a melt, and cooling the melt at a cooling rate of more than 0ºC/min and not more than 1.5ºC/min to grow crystals.