Thermoelectric power of Cu-based dilute alloy films

Abstract

The thermoelectric power (TEP) of structurally characterized Cu-based dilute alloy films containing 1, 2, and 5 at.% Al, Ge, or Sn has been studied in the temperature range 80-350 K. The TEP of alloy films increases with thickness to reach a saturation value at ≥2800 Å. The addition of impurities reduces the magnitude of the TEP of copper films while its sign remains positive. The temperature dependence of the TEP is affected markedly by the presence of impurities. Structural disorder, impurity, and phonon-drag contributions to the TEP have been separated by using the Nordheim-Gorter relation. Contribution of the Fermi-surface distortions (and thus change in the neck radius of the Fermi surface) to the TEP has been estimated.