Seebeck coefficient measurements for cryogenic temperatures

Minimizing thermoelectric currents in cryomodules in particle accelerators during the cooldown procedure is essential to operate superconducting radio-frequency cavities most efficiently. Determining the thermoelectric performance of materials used in accelerator cryomodules is therefore needed. The temperature-dependent Seebeck coefficient describes the electric potential that develops across a conductor in the presence of a temperature gradient and can generate electric currents. This work uses an experimental setup to measure the Seebeck coefficient at cryogenic temperatures, namely in the 10-200K range, for materials commonly used in cryomodules, such as niobium, titanium, niobium-titanium, copper, silicon bronze, and stainless steel.