Magneto-Seebeck coefficient of a bismuth microwire array in a magnetic field

The enhancement of the magneto-Seebeck coefficient of a bismuth microwire array under a magnetic field is measured at temperatures from 45 to 295 K. The measured magneto-Seebeck coefficient exhibits a peak at a certain magnitude of magnetic field, with the peak shifting to higher magnetic fields and becoming broader with increasing temperature. The results show that the magneto-Seebeck coefficient can be improved by approximately 20% by applying an appropriate external magnetic field and temperature. The Boltzmann equation with a relaxation-time approximation is solved numerically to determine the magnetic field and temperature dependences of the magneto-Seebeck coefficient for the bismuth microwire array. The experimental results are compared with calculations, and the two sets of results are shown to be in very good agreement, clarifying the mechanisms contributing to the magneto-Seebeck coefficient for bismuth. The wire array structure is thus suitable for enhancing the thermoelectric properties of materials in a magnetic field. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.