Absolute Seebeck coefficient of thin platinum films

Abstract

The influence of size effects on the thermoelectric properties of thin platinum films is investigated and compared to the bulk. Structural properties, like the film thickness and the grain size, are varied. We correlate the electron mean free path with the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity and the absolute Seebeck coefficient SPt of platinum. A measurement platform was developed as a standardized method to determine SPt and show that SPt,film is reduced compared to SPt,bulk. Boundary and surface scattering reduce the thermodiffusion and the phonon drag contribution to SPt,film by nearly the same factor. We discuss in detail on behalf of a model, which describes the temperature dependence of the absolute Seebeck coefficient, the influence of size effects of electron-phonon and phonon-phonon interaction on SPt.

Optically-Thin Broadband Graphene-Membrane Photodetector

“…Hence, optical absorption affects conductivity, which is a considerably stronger effect than the Seebeck mechanism, which generates low photo-voltage ∆V = S∇T even for the large Seebeck constant S of graphene [36]. The gradient thickness of metal contact used in this study can be also useful for measurement of the Seebeck constant of metal nanofilms, where it depends on the mean free path of electrons and phonon drag [37,38], and has to be experimentally determined for precise temperature measurements at the nanoscale [39].…”

Nanometrology: Absolute Seebeck coefficient of individual silver nanowires

“…In order to obtain the absolute Seebeck coefficient of a silver nanowire, which is given bythe absolute Seebeck coefficient of the platinum conduction line is required. was determined in a separate experiment 10 by measuring a bulk gold wire with known absolute Seebeck coefficient relative to the thin platinum conduction line. See also Supplementary Information S3.…”

“…See also Supplementary Information S3. A detailed discussion of the absolute Seebeck coefficient of thin platinum films and the effects of heat treatment on the transport properties is given in reference 10 . The relative and absolute Seebeck coefficients of the reference platinum film are given in Fig.…”

“…A small absolute Seebeck coefficient is important for interconnects in low-noise electronics. While the thermoelectric properties of metallic thin films have been studied 5,10–16 , it is very challenging to determine these of individual metallic nanowires 17–21 .…”

“…In particular, the determination of the absolute Seebeck coefficient of an individual metallic nanowire requires the knowledge of the absolute Seebeck coefficient of the micro- and nanopatterned thermoelectric reference material. For such, it has been shown that the Seebeck coefficient is size-dependent 10–12 .…”