Electromotive Force Generation in Homogeneously Heated Semiconducting Samarium Monosulfide

V. V. Kaminskiy, S. M. Solov'ev, and A. V. Golubkov

Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 194021 Russia

Received October 18, 2001

Abstract-The emf generated in samarium monosulfide (SmS) single crystals heated in the absence of external temperature gradients was measured for the first time in a broad temperature range (from room temperature to 712 K). The phenomena of self-heating (up to T = 866 K) and the emf generation were observed in the SmS samples after termination of the external heating. A high level of the emf (0.4-0.6 V) generated for 12 min (including 10 min without external heating) suggests that these effects can be used for the conversion of thermal energy into electricity. © 2002 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".

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