Giant Seebeck effect over 0.1 V K−1 – is this an intrinsic phenomenon in organic semiconductors?

Abstract

A good solution for energy harvesting is to generate electricity using waste heat from our bodies or living environment. Therefore, the development of flexible and lightweight thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is urgently necessary, and studies on organic thermoelectric materials have become increasingly intensive. This article will present ongoing studies about a mysterious phenomenon in organic semiconductors, the giant Seebeck effect (GSE). The GSE was first discovered with pure C₆₀ thin films and eventually confirmed to occur in various organic semiconductors. In the thin films or single crystals of organic small-molecule semiconductors with high purity, i.e., small carrier density, huge Seebeck coefficients, >0.1 V K⁻¹, were reproducibly observed in the temperature range near 300–400 K. The facts revealed by the experiments to date will be presented, and unresolved mysteries will be discussed.