On the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power in disordered semiconductors

In the context of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes, general expressions for the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power in the region of hopping conductivity in disordered materials at low temperatures are derived. The effect of degeneracy of impurity levels on the thermoelectric power is taken into account. On the basis of the results, the experimental data on the thermoelectric power in amorphous and impurity-containing semiconductors are discussed.