Electrical and thermoelectric properties of p-Ag2Te in the β phase

Abstract

The conductivity σ, Hall coefficient R, and thermoelectric power α₀ of p-Ag₂Te were studied in the temperature range of 300–550 K. Inconsistency between the signs of R and α₀ was observed at 420–550 K. These results are interpreted within the two-phase model with spherical constant energy surfaces. It is established that the inconsistency between the R and α₀ signs is due to the emergence of the scattering mechanisms with the parameters r _0ac , r ₀₀, and r _0d an increase of about 50% in the ratio of the effective electron and hole masses as a result of the transition α → β.