Transverse thermoelectric properties of the anisotropic p×n conductor Li_0.9Mo₆O₁₇ above 300 K

Lithium purple bronze, Li_0.9Mo₆O₁₇, is a single-phase material that behaves above 300 K like an n-type metal along its quasi-one-dimensional chains (b axis) and a p-type semiconductor along the mutually perpendicular c axis, with a difference in thermopowers,^a ΔS=S_c-S_b≅ 200 μV/K. We will discuss transverse Peltier, thermopower and power generation measurements on a series of single-crystal specimens cut with their body axes at various angles with respect to the chain direction in the temperature range 300 K ≤ T≤ 500 K.

^a J. L. Cohn et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 186602 (2014).