Mahan and Sofo showed that this effect is maximized when the electronic density of states is a delta function.
Mahan and Sofo showed that this effect is maximized when the electronic density of states is a delta function. The figure of merit for materials displaying this effect, denoted ZT,  approaches two for some nanocomposites like lead telluride. One coefficient which describes this effect is proportional to the derivative of conductivity with respect to energy according to the Mott formula. The (*) Thomson relations describe the relationships between three coefficients of this effect. The version of this effect which causes a change in temperature is the Peltier effect and the one which is the basis for operation of a thermocouple, the Seebeck effect. For 10 points, name this interconversion between temperature gradients and voltage.
Mahan and Sofo showed that this effect is maximized when the electronic density of states is a delta function.
thermoelectric effect [or Seebeck effect; or Peltier effect; or Thomson effect] 