PHONON DRAG AND CARRIER DIFFUSION CONTRIBUTIONS IN THERMOELECTRIC POWER OF K3C60 FULLERIDES

Abstract

The thermoelectric power (S) of K3C60 fullerides is theoretically analyzed. Mott expression within parabolic band approximation is used to reveal the electron diffusive thermoelectric power (Sc diff ) following Fermi energy as electron parameter, Sc diff show linear temperature dependence. S infers a change in slope above transition temperature and become almost linear above 70 K. The phonon drag thermoelectric power (S ph drag ) is computed within relaxation time approximation when thermoelectric power is limited by scattering of phonons from defects, grain boundaries, phonons and electrons as carriers. The S ph drag of K3C60 is anomalous and it is an artifact of strong phonon-electron and phonon scattering mechanism. The thermoelectric power within relaxation time approximation has been taken into account ignoring a possible energy dependence of the scattering rates. Behaviour of S(T) is determined by competition among the several operating scattering mechanisms for the heat carriers and a balance between carrier diffusion and phonon drag contributions.