Apparatus for measuring Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity of small dimension samples using infrared...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of thermoelectric properties is crucial for developing advanced materials.
• Characterizing small-dimension samples presents significant challenges in traditional measurement techniques.
• Existing methods often require complex microfabrication processes, limiting their accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate an apparatus for simultaneous measurement of Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity.
• To enable characterization of sub-millimeter samples without microfabrication.
• To assess the accuracy and repeatability of the developed measurement system.

Main Methods:

• Development of a specialized four-probe assembly integrated with an infrared microscope.
• Combination of the hot probe technique and Van der Pauw method for simultaneous measurements.
• Utilizing a heated probe for differential temperature application and electrical contact.

Main Results:

• The apparatus successfully measures Seebeck coefficient (α) and electrical resistivity (ρ) of small-dimension samples.
• Repeatability tests conducted between 40 °C-100 °C using a nickel reference sample.
• Achieved uncertainty of ±4.9% for Seebeck coefficient and ±5.0% for electrical resistivity.

Conclusions:

• The developed apparatus offers a non-destructive and accessible method for characterizing thermoelectric properties of micro-scale materials.
• The system demonstrates good accuracy and repeatability, suitable for various materials research applications.
• This innovation facilitates the study of thermoelectric materials with reduced sample preparation requirements.