  We present a study of the morphology and the thermoelectric properties of
short-pulse laser-sintered (LS) nanoparticle (NP) thin films, consisting of
SiGe alloy NPs or composites of Si and Ge NPs. Laser-sintering of spin-coated
NP films in vacuum results in a macroporous percolating network with a typical
thickness of 300 nm. The Seebeck coefficient is independent of the sintering
process and typical for degenerate doping. The electrical conductivity of LS
films rises with increasing temperature, best described by a power-law and
influenced by two-dimensional percolation effects.
