Thermoelectricity, thinking of the past and tomorrow

The establishment of intrinsic semiconductivity of tellurium in the 1940s to 50s and the discovery of semiconductivity in the solid solution Bi-Sb alloy system in the 1950s and 60s are described in relation to thermoelectricity. The development of Peltier cooling devices using the Bi₂Te₃ family is also mentioned. As with recent studies, the merits of applying magnetic fields to thermoelectric materials are examined. Bi₈₈Sb₁₂ and the same alloy doped with various amounts of Sn were exposed to a magnetic field of 0.8 tesla. The magnetic field had a remarkable influence on the alloys; sometimes the Seebeck coefficient was enhanced by more than 50% and the sign of the Seebeck coefficient was changed. An application of a gradient magnetic field on a thermoelectric rod specimen possibly substitutes FGM. The Ettingshausen temperature gradient on Bi₈₈Sb₁₂ was also studied