Ruthenium oxide as a thermoelectric material: unconventional thermoelectric properties of Li₂RuO₃

Ruthenium oxides are typical strongly correlated electron systems, where various ordering phenomena occur through delicate interplay among the charge, spin and orbital degrees of freedom. We propose that the thermoelectric properties can be improved by controlling such ordered phases in strongly correlated electron systems. Honeycomb Ru oxide Li₂RuO₃ is a prime example that exhibits a unique phase transition at 540 K with a charge gap. We have found that the ordered state can be modified by substituting the Ru site partially, and succeeded in increasing the thermopower by keeping the resistivity around the same value to enhance the power factor substantially.