In recent years thermoelectric materials have gained attention for electricity generation from waste heat and in cooling applications. However, the efficiency of these materials is still limited, and their improvement is hampered by the complexity of their characterization. The efficiency of these materials is determined by the thermoelectric figure of merit, which depends on their electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity. Usually the complete characterization of these properties involves the use of multiple tools, which requires time and introduces uncertainty. Therefore, to boost the discovery of materials with higher efficiency, there is a strong need for fast and accurate experimental characterization. Additionally it is important to measure the thermoelectric properties at the microscale since it enables a thorough understanding of the materials. In this study we present a new method using a micro four-point probe (M4PP) that is able to measure within seconds, at the microscopic scale all of the material properties that define the thermoelectric figure of merit. The method is demonstrated using two skutterudite materials with known thermoelectric properties, and it shows a strong agreement with the reference data. The M4PP method demonstrates potential to revolutionize the testing of thermoelectric materials to expedite their development.

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• Electrical conductivity
• Thermal conductivity
• Thermoelectric effects
• Doped semiconductors
• Polycrystalline materials
• Thermoelectrics
• Crystal growth
• Monte Carlo methods
• Resistivity measurements
• Thermal techniques