Nernst effect

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In physics and chemistry, the Nernst Effect (also termed first Nernst-Ettingshausen effect, after Walther Nernst and Albert von Ettingshausen; note "Ettingshausen" is frequently misspelled "Ettinghausen") is a thermoelectric (or thermomagnetic) phenomenon observed when a sample allowing electrical conduction is subjected to a magnetic field and a temperature gradient normal to each other. An electric field will be induced normal to both.

This effect is quantified by the Nernst coefficient |N|, which is defined to be

|N|=\frac{E_Y/B_Z}{dT/dx}

where EY is the y-component of the electric field that results from the magnetic field's z-component BZ and the temperature gradient dT / dx.

The reverse process is known as the Ettingshausen effect and also as the second Nernst-Ettingshausen effect.

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[edit] Physical picture

Mobile energy carriers (for example conduction-band electrons in a semiconductor) will move along temperature gradients due to statistics and the relationship between temperature and kinetic energy. If there is a magnetic field transversal to the temperature gradient and the carriers are electrically charged, they experience a force perpendicular to their direction of motion (also the direction of the temperature gradient) and to the magnetic field. Thus, a perpendicular electric field is induced.

[edit] Sample types

Semiconductors exhibit the Nernst effect. This has been studied in the 1950s by Krylova, Mochan and many others. In metals however, it is almost non-existent. It appears in the vortex phase of type-II superconductors due to vortex motion. This has been studied by Huebener et al. High-temperature superconductors exhibit the Nernst effect both in the superconducting and in the pseudogap phase, as was first found by Xu et al. Heavy-Fermion superconductors can show a strong Nernst signal which is likely not due to the vortices, as was found by Bel et al.

[edit] See also

[edit] Journal articles

  • R. P. Huebener and A. Seher, "Nernst Effect and Flux Flow in Superconductors. I. Niobium", Web
  • R. P. Huebener and A. Seher, "Nernst Effect and Flux Flow in Superconductors. II. Lead Films", Web
  • V. A. Rowe and R. P. Huebener, "Nernst Effect and Flux Flow in Superconductors. III. Films of Tin and Indium", Web
  • Xu ZA, Ong NP, Wang Y, Kakeshita T, Uchida S. "Vortex-like excitations and the onset of superconducting phase fluctuation in underdoped La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4", Nature 406/6795 p. 486 (2000)
  • Bel R, Behnia K, Nakajima Y, Izawa K, Matsuda Y, Shishido H, Settai R, Onuki Y, "Giant Nernst Effect in CeCoIn5" Web
  • Krylova TV, Mochan IV, J. Tech. Phys. (USSR) 25, 2119 (1955)