The thermo-emf in bipolar semiconductors is calculated. It is shown that it is necessary to take into account the nonequilibrium distribution of electron and hole concentrations (Fermi quasilevels of the electrons and holes). We find that electron and hole electric conductivities of contacts of semiconductor samples with connecting wires make a substantial contribution to thermo-emf.

• Received 13 October 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.51.6999