Abstract
This work documents an all-in-one custom setup that allows us to measure the in-plane Seebeck coefficients and electrical conductivities of anisotropic thin film samples close to room temperature. Both pairs, S∥ and σ∥ and S⊥ and σ⊥, can be measured using four contacts on the same sample, reducing measurement time and minimizing potential sources of error due to aggregating data from several distinct samples. The setup allows us to measure the electrical conductivity of isotropic samples using the well-known van der Pauw method. For samples with in-plane anisotropy, the two components σ∥ and σ⊥ can be extracted from the same type of measurements by performing additional calculations. Using the same contacts, the Seebeck coefficient along one direction is measured using a differential steady-state method. After rotating the sample by 90°, the orthogonal Seebeck component can be measured. In order to show the generality of the method, we measure different types of samples, from metal references to oriented doped conjugated polymers.
Highlights
Electronic and heat transport have been shown to depend on spatial direction for many thermoelectric (TE) material systems, including some of the best performing ones
This work focuses on in-plane oriented materials in an in-plane geometry since this may allow increasing the TE performance given by the dimensionless figure of merit, S2σ
We presented a cheap, custom setup to measure the components of in-plane electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of anisotropic thin films
Summary
Electronic and heat transport have been shown to depend on spatial direction for many thermoelectric (TE) material systems, including some of the best performing ones. These anisotropic thermoelectric properties are due to a variety of structural asymmetries, such as different properties along the crystallographic directions, or preferential molecular order, and their accurate knowledge is paramount for the understanding of materials and the design of efficient TE generators. We present a custom setup that allows us to sequentially measure both in-plane orthogonal pairs, S∥ and σ∥ and S and σ , on a single sample close to room temperature, in air. The sample is placed on a sample holder comprising two copper blocks, as shown, one of which serves as a heater and the other as a heat sink, to create a controllable temperature gradient. All other components combined cost a fraction of its price
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