THERMOELECTRIC CHARACTERISTCS OF ANISOTROPIC THERMOELEMENTS MADE OF ELASTICALLY DEFORMED n-TYPE SILICON CRYSTALS.

An investigation was made of the thermoelectric power, piezothermoelectric power, and thermoelectric figure of merit of undeformed and uniaxially deformed n-type Si crystals at T equals 85 degree K with electron densities in the range 1. 9 multiplied by (times) 10**1**3 less than equivalent to n//e less than equivalent to 2. 6 multiplied by (times) 10**1**6 cm** minus **3. It was found that, in spite of the high thermal conductivity which increased in the case of n-type Si as a result of cooling, these crystals could exhibit (in an elastically deformed state) a thermoelectric figure of merit comparable with that of the most widely used thermoelectric materials. The anisotropy of the thermoelectric power (governing the sensitivity of an anisotropic thermoelement) of uniaxially deformed n-type Si exceeded the anisotropy of commonly used thermoelectric materials by two orders of magnitude.