Thermopile effect due to laser radiation heating in thin films of high-Tc materials

Abstract

We report on the observation of a thermopile effect caused by laser radiation heating in thin films of high-Tc material. The thermopile effect is due to a transverse Seebeck effect. The transverse Seebeck effect is observable first because of the anisotropy of YBa2Cu3O7−δ, and secondly because it is possible to grow off-axis epitaxial films. The thermopile effect can be used for developing detectors for laser radiation.