Thermoelectric Size Effect in Pure Gold

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Abstract
The difference between the thermoelectric power of thin gold foils and a 0.010-in.-diam gold wire was measured between 77°K and room temperature. The electrical resistance difference between the foils and the wire was determined simultaneously. From the experimental results, the energy dependence of the electron mean free path and of the area of the Fermi surface in gold was obtained. Both the electron mean free path and the area of the Fermi surface decrease with increasing electron energy, which is opposite to the behavior expected from the free-electron model of a metal. The electron mean free path obtained from the resistance measurements is in agreement with the value derived from the anomalous skin effect.