The origin of the thermoelectric potential

J. Jäckle
Department of Physics
University of Konstanz

Thermoelectric effects [1] are an important subject in solid-state physics. The main effects are the Seebeck effect (Thomas Johann Seebeck 1821) and the Peltier effect (Jean Charles Athanase Peltier 1834). Both have important practical applications.

Sections 1-3 contain a brief review of thermoelectric effects. The question about the origin of the thermoelectric potential is answered in Sections 4 and 5. In Sec. 6 it is shown where the electric charges generating this potential are located. Sec. 7 deals with electric charges under non-stationary conditions. Sec. 8 is a short summary.