Electromotive Force in a Layer of Finely Dispersed Spontaneously Polarized Semiconductor

Abstract

The phenomenon of energy conversion by a thin layer of finely dispersed spontaneously polarized semiconductor sandwiched between two plane-parallel metallic electrodes (being in direct contact with them), upon exposure to hydrogen gas, is studied. When the device is incorporated in a closed electrical circuit, the powder layer acts as a source of direct current. We develop a theoretical model that presupposes that the heat absorbed by the powder layer from the surrounding environment is converted into electrical energy. The model is shown to be consistent with the experiment.