Thermoelectric Power of RZnSi Compounds

Abstract

The thermoelectric power, S, of ternary rere-earth zinc silicides RZnSi was measured. The absolute values of S increased linearly with temperature, and the value of -dS/dT for RZnSi decreased with increasing atomic number of rere-earth atom, Z. These results and the speculation on the basis of a free electron model indicated that the change in S and dS/dT with increasing Z of RZnSi was caused by the change in the concentration of conduction electrons due to the lanthanoid contraction.