Thermoelectric power of Hg-based superconductor

Thermoelectric power(TEP) of a single phase Hg-1223 superconductor was measured as a function of temperature. We found several interesting features of the TEP. First, the sign of the TEP is positive. Secondly, the TEP increases sharply just above Tc but demonstrates the semiconductor-like behavior at the normal state. Thirdly, the zero-crossing of the TEP coincides with the resistive transition temperature, Tc. The obvious explaination can be attributed to the phenomenological mixed state of charge carriers. It is clarified by the localized bound pairs and the free carriers in the normal state. This model explains the semiconductor-like temperature dependency, as well as the sharp increase preceding and just above the transition temperature.