The role of nonequilibrium charge in generation of the thermopower in extrinsic semiconductors

A theory of the thermopower is developed with consideration for the nonequilibrium charge produced in a p-type semiconductor and metal contacts. It is shown that the thermopower is generated due to redistribution of the nonequilibrium charge between the metal contacts and semiconductor via transport of nonequilibrium electrons from the metal to the semiconductor through one of the surfaces and from the semiconductor to the metal through the other surface. In a p-type semiconductor sample with thickness smaller than the diffusion length, at certain surface parameters, the thermopower nonlinearly depends on the temperature difference.