Measure thermoelectric voltage response across a temperature gradient. Estimate slope, uncertainty, and power factor instantly. Use it to compare materials, setups, and contacts today.
The Seebeck coefficient relates thermoelectric voltage to a temperature gradient:
With multiple points, the calculator performs a least-squares linear fit of V versus T to estimate the slope dV/dT, plus R² and the slope standard error.
Sample values (temperature in °C, voltage in mV) suitable for the linear-fit mode:
| Temperature (°C) | Voltage (mV) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 0.40 |
| 30 | 0.75 |
| 40 | 1.05 |
| 50 | 1.42 |
| 60 | 1.80 |
The Seebeck coefficient, S, quantifies how much thermoelectric voltage develops when a material experiences a temperature difference. In simple terms, it is the slope of the voltage–temperature relationship, often reported in µV/K. A positive or negative value depends on the dominant charge carriers and your laboratory sign convention.
Metals usually produce small values, often 1–10 µV/K, because carriers are abundant and the thermoelectric response is modest. Degenerate semiconductors and thermoelectric alloys commonly fall in the 50–300 µV/K range near room temperature. As a rough benchmark, many bismuth telluride based legs are often around ±150 to ±250 µV/K close to 300 K.
A two-point calculation is fast, but it is sensitive to noise and contact offsets because it relies on one ΔV and one ΔT. Using multiple points and a least-squares fit reduces the impact of random voltage drift and gives extra diagnostics, such as R² and the standard error of the slope. For stable setups, a near-linear V–T trend is a good sign.
Instruments may output volts, millivolts, or microvolts, while publications usually report µV/K. This calculator converts your voltage inputs to volts internally, computes the slope in V/K, then converts to your chosen output unit. Remember that temperature differences are numerically identical in K and °C, so ΔT works cleanly in either scale.
Thermal gradients at junctions, dissimilar metals, and lead-wire thermoelectric effects can add offsets. A common technique is to keep wiring symmetric and stable, use high-quality isothermal blocks, and wait for steady state before logging data. Increasing ΔT improves signal-to-noise, but avoid large gradients that change material properties significantly.
When using the linear-fit mode, R² close to 1 indicates that voltage changes are strongly explained by temperature. A low R² can signal unstable thermal conditions, contact resistance changes, or mixed regimes. The slope standard error helps you compare runs; smaller values usually mean better repeatability and less scatter.
The thermoelectric power factor is PF = S²σ, where σ is electrical conductivity. It connects your Seebeck result to electrical transport and is commonly reported as W/m·K² or µW/cm·K². Because S is squared, even moderate improvements in |S| can noticeably raise PF if conductivity stays high.
For materials screening, compare S values at the same average temperature and under similar ΔT conditions. For device checks, track changes over time; a drift of only 10–20 µV/K can be meaningful for optimized legs. Pair S with conductivity (or resistivity) and consistent geometry to build reliable performance trends.
Carrier concentration, mobility, and scattering mechanisms vary with temperature. Many thermoelectric materials show non-linear behavior across wide ranges, so S can rise, fall, or change sign as conduction mechanisms shift.
Use two-point for quick checks when the setup is stable. Use linear fit when you have repeated readings, drift, or noise. The fit mode gives R² and slope uncertainty, which helps validate the result.
For this calculation, no. Seebeck uses ΔT, and a temperature difference of 10 K equals 10 °C. Just stay consistent across all points in your dataset.
Some labs define S = −dV/dT, others use S = dV/dT. Choose the option that matches your instrumentation and reporting standard. The magnitude is unchanged; only the sign flips.
Verify stable thermal equilibrium, consistent contact pressure, and steady wiring temperatures. Also check for transcription errors in the pasted points. Small ΔT values can amplify noise, reducing linearity.
The calculator uses PF = S²σ with S in V/K and σ in S/m. If you enter resistivity, it converts to conductivity using σ = 1/ρ, then reports PF in W/m·K² and µW/cm·K².
It depends on S and ΔT. For S ≈ 200 µV/K and ΔT = 20 K, expect about 4 mV. If your signal is near instrument noise, increase ΔT, improve contacts, or average more points.
The Seebeck coefficient, S, quantifies how much thermoelectric voltage develops when a material experiences a temperature difference. In simple terms, it is the slope of the voltage–temperature relationship, often reported in µV/K. A positive or negative value depends on the dominant charge carriers and your laboratory sign convention.
Metals usually produce small values, often 1–10 µV/K, because carriers are abundant and the thermoelectric response is modest. Degenerate semiconductors and thermoelectric alloys commonly fall in the 50–300 µV/K range near room temperature. As a rough benchmark, many bismuth telluride based legs are often around ±150 to ±250 µV/K close to 300 K.
A two-point calculation is fast, but it is sensitive to noise and contact offsets because it relies on one ΔV and one ΔT. Using multiple points and a least-squares fit reduces the impact of random voltage drift and gives extra diagnostics, such as R² and the standard error of the slope. For stable setups, a near-linear V–T trend is a good sign.
Instruments may output volts, millivolts, or microvolts, while publications usually report µV/K. This calculator converts your voltage inputs to volts internally, computes the slope in V/K, then converts to your chosen output unit. Remember that temperature differences are numerically identical in K and °C, so ΔT works cleanly in either scale.
Thermal gradients at junctions, dissimilar metals, and lead-wire thermoelectric effects can add offsets. A common technique is to keep wiring symmetric and stable, use high-quality isothermal blocks, and wait for steady state before logging data. Increasing ΔT improves signal-to-noise, but avoid large gradients that change material properties significantly.
When using the linear-fit mode, R² close to 1 indicates that voltage changes are strongly explained by temperature. A low R² can signal unstable thermal conditions, contact resistance changes, or mixed regimes. The slope standard error helps you compare runs; smaller values usually mean better repeatability and less scatter.
The thermoelectric power factor is PF = S²σ, where σ is electrical conductivity. It connects your Seebeck result to electrical transport and is commonly reported as W/m·K² or µW/cm·K². Because S is squared, even moderate improvements in |S| can noticeably raise PF if conductivity stays high.
For materials screening, compare S values at the same average temperature and under similar ΔT conditions. For device checks, track changes over time; a drift of only 10–20 µV/K can be meaningful for optimized legs. Pair S with conductivity (or resistivity) and consistent geometry to build reliable performance trends.
Carrier concentration, mobility, and scattering mechanisms vary with temperature. Many thermoelectric materials show non-linear behavior across wide ranges, so S can rise, fall, or change sign as conduction mechanisms shift.
Use two-point for quick checks when the setup is stable. Use linear fit when you have repeated readings, drift, or noise. The fit mode gives R² and slope uncertainty, which helps validate the result.
For this calculation, no. Seebeck uses ΔT, and a temperature difference of 10 K equals 10 °C. Just stay consistent across all points in your dataset.
Some labs define S = −dV/dT, others use S = dV/dT. Choose the option that matches your instrumentation and reporting standard. The magnitude is unchanged; only the sign flips.
Verify stable thermal equilibrium, consistent contact pressure, and steady wiring temperatures. Also check for transcription errors in the pasted points. Small ΔT values can amplify noise, reducing linearity.
The calculator uses PF = S²σ with S in V/K and σ in S/m. If you enter resistivity, it converts to conductivity using σ = 1/ρ, then reports PF in W/m·K² and µW/cm·K².
It depends on S and ΔT. For S ≈ 200 µV/K and ΔT = 20 K, expect about 4 mV. If your signal is near instrument noise, increase ΔT, improve contacts, or average more points.
Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.