Effects of Spin and Orbital Degeneracy on the Thermopower of Strongly Correlated Systems

Abstract

We study thermopower in strongly correlated electron systems with orbital degeneracy using numerical diagonalization method on finite-size clusters. It is shown that the thermopower is strongly enhanced by the spin and orbital degrees of freedom, but the resistivity is significantly less affected. A key for the strategy of new thermoelectric materials in transition metal oxides is proposed in the light of the theory.