Kondo effect and thermoelectric transport in CePd₃Be_x

The physical properties of the series CePd₃Be_x ($0⩽x⩽0.47$) have been studied. Introducing Be into CePd₃ results in a drastic reduction of the Seebeck coefficient from 100 μV K⁻¹ at 300 K to  −2 μV K⁻¹, respectively. Paramagnetism of Ce³⁺ free ions and metallic conduction dominate the physical properties. A structural transition at x  =  0.25 is accompanied by a significant lowering of the Kondo temperature and leads to a successive suppression of the thermoelectric performance of CePd₃Be_x with increasing x. (paper)