Measurement of the thermoelectric properties of bulk and thin film materials

The figure-of-merit (Z) of a thermoelectric material is defined as Z = S{sup 2}/{rho}k, where S is the Seebeck coefficient, {rho} is the electrical resistivity, and k is the thermal conductivity. Since Z is composed of three components, it is sensitive to measurement errors in each of the components. For example, a Seebeck coefficient measurement which is only 17% high combined with electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity measurements which are 17% too low will result in a Z value which is double the correct value. It is therefore important to observe correct technique when performing measurements of S, {rho}, and k; and to recognize the limitations of the measurements. The purpose of the course is to address some of those issues in order to increase the accuracy of the thermoelectric measurements.