Lithography-free resistance thermometry based technique to accurately measure Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity for organic and inorganic thin films

We have developed a new and accurate technique to measure temperature dependent in-plane Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of organic and inorganic thin films. The measurement device consists of one heater, two thermometers, and a four-probe configuration which is patterned on a substrate of choice using a simple shadow mask. The high resolution in temperature measurements and repeatability of resistance thermometry is leveraged while enabling simple implementation using only a shadow mask for patterning. We calibrate the technique using nickel and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) thin films. The error bar for the Seebeck coefficient is less than 1%, almost 10 times better than complementary techniques for thin films. Moreover, our method enables high-throughput characterization of thermoelectric properties of a variety of different large area inorganic and organic thin films that can be prepared by spin coating, drop casting, evaporation, sputtering, or any other growth technique and hence has potential for wide usage in the thermoelectrics and nanoscale transport community to study thin films. Published by AIP Publishing.