Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Energy Solutions Using Nanocomposites as Processed Thermoelectric Materials
Published on: May 17, 2024
Versatile Seebeck and electrical resistivity measurement setup for thin films
Sofia Ferreira-Teixeira1, Francisco Carpinteiro1, João P Araújo1
1IFIMUP, Departamento de Física e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
Abstract:
A custom setup for Seebeck coefficient and electrical resistivity measurements of thin films as a function of temperature in the range of 10-300 K was developed. The Seebeck coefficient is measured using a two-probe arrangement and using either a dynamical or steady/quasi-steady differential method. The temperature differences (ΔTs) for these measurements across the samples are achieved by using resistive heaters embedded in two copper blocks. The sample is screwed to these blocks and is in pressured contact with the measurement probes. The electrical resistivity is measured with a two-probe arrangement. To verify the reliability of the developed setup, measurement tests were performed on commercial niobium foil and a specular spin valve previously studied, having obtained a great accordance (within ∼3%) between this setup's experimental results and the reference measurements.
More Related Videos
04:22Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering
Published on: May 17, 2024
08:12Ohmic Contact Fabrication Using a Focused-ion Beam Technique and Electrical Characterization for Layer Semiconductor Nanostructures
Published on: December 5, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Resistivity
Electrical Conductivity
In a practical conductor, an applied electric field may be sustained, causing a flow of electrons, which produce a current. The differential form of the current, the current density, is related to the electric field.
More generally, it is related to the force per unit charge, which involves the...
Potentiometry: Types of Electrodes
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) is a widely used reference electrode that maintains zero potential across all temperatures. However, its need for a continuous hydrogen gas supply renders it impractical for everyday use.
An alternative to SHE is the Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE). This electrode features an...
Susceptibility, Permittivity and Dielectric Constant