Density-Wave Instabilities and Thermoelectric Parameters in the Alkali Metals

We use a first-principles pseudopotential approach to evaluate the thermoelectric parameters of the alkali metals. The values obtained for these parameters are extremely sensitive to the approximation used to describe the screening of the electron-ion interaction in these systems at wave vectors near $q=2\mathrm{}{k}_{\mathrm{F}}$. A criterion for the occurrence of charge-density-wave instabilities in the alkali metals is derived. We argue that the measured values of the thermoelectric parameters are inconsistent with the proximity of a charge-density-wave instability.