Discovery of colossal Seebeck effect in metallic Cu₂Se

Both electrical conductivity σ and Seebeck coefficient S are functions of carrier concentration being correlated with each other, and the value of power factor S²σ is generally limited to less than 0.01 W m^-1 K^-2. Here we report that, under the temperature gradient applied simultaneously to both parallel and perpendicular directions of measurement, a metallic copper selenide, Cu₂Se, shows two sign reversals and colossal values of S exceeding ±2 mV K^-1 in a narrow temperature range, 340 K < T < 400 K, where a structure phase transition takes place. The metallic behavior of σ possessing larger magnitude exceeding 600 S cm^-1 leads to a colossal value of S²σ = 2.3 W m^-1 K^-2. The small thermal conductivity less than 2 W m^-1 K^-1 results in a huge dimensionless figure of merit exceeding 400. This unusual behavior is brought about by the self-tuning carrier concentration effect in the low-temperature phase assisted by the high-temperature phase.