Thermoelectric effect in very thin film Pt/Au thermocouples.

Authors :: Salvadori, M. C.
Vaz, A. R.
Teixeira, F. S.
Cattani, M.
Brown, I. G.
Source :: Applied Physics Letters; 3/27/2006, Vol. 88 Issue 13, p133106, 3p, 1 Diagram, 1 Chart, 2 Graphs
Publication Year :: 2006
Abstract: The thickness dependence of the thermoelectric power of Pt films of variable thicknesses on a reference Au film has been determined for the case when the Pt film thickness, t, is not large compared to the charge-carrier mean free path. Pt film thicknesses down to 2.2 nm were investigated. We find that ΔS<subscript>F</subscript>=S<subscript>B</subscript>-S<subscript>F</subscript> (where S<subscript>B</subscript> and S<subscript>F</subscript> are the thermopowers of the Pt bulk and film, respectively) does not vary linearly as 1/t is the case for thin film thermocouples when the film thickness is large compared to the charge-carrier mean free path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]