On the temperature dependence of the hopping thermopower in disordered semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper derives general expressions for the temperature dependence of thermopower in disordered semiconductors with hopping conductivity, considering impurity level degeneracy, and discusses experimental data in amorphous and impurity semiconductors.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical framework for understanding thermopower temperature dependence in disordered materials, including impurity effects, based on thermodynamics of irreversible processes.

Findings

Derived general expressions for thermopower temperature dependence

Accounted for impurity level degeneracy effects

Discussed experimental data in amorphous and impurity semiconductors

Abstract

At low temperature using thermodynamics of irreversible processes the general expressions for the temperature dependence of the thermopower in the case of the hopping conductivity for disordered materials are found. The account of influence of impurity levels degeneration on the thermopower is lead. In a view of received results experimental data of the thermopower in amorphous and impurity semiconductors are discussed.