Calculation of the Force Acting on an Impurity in a Metal Submitted to an Electric Field or a Temperature Gradient

Abstract

Abstract Using the Bosvieux-Friedel polarization model, the charge carrier induced force on an impurity in a normal metal submitted to a temperature gradient or an electric field is calculated, and a connection is made between the two phenomena. The results are interpreted in terms of the specific resistivity and thermoelectric power of the impurity in the matrix.A crude estimation of the force due to phonon scattering on an impurity in a temperature gra­ dient is given