Probe apparatus and method for measuring thermoelectric properties of materials

摘要

A method and apparatus for measuring and characterizing microscopic thermoelectric material samples using scanning microscopes. The method relies on concurrent thermal and electrical measurements using scanning thermal probes, and extends the applicability of scanning thermal microscopes (SThMs) to the characterization of thermoelectric materials. The probe makes use of two thermocouples to measure voltages at the tip and base of a cone tip of the probe. From these voltages, and from a voltage measured across the sample material, the Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity and resistance of the sample material can be accurately determined.