ABSTRACT
In thermoelectric research the structural complexity of new materials keeps increasing. This makes it
more and more important that serious attention is paid to the structural investigations that often form an
integral part of the studies. The most authoritative methods for structural information are x-ray or
neutron diffraction, and structural solution from diffraction data typically is taken as the “proof” for a
given structure. However, due to the complexity of many subtle details, standard x-ray diffraction
techniques sometimes cannot give precise answers. Many other physical data such as transport
measurements are also commonly used to indirectly infer structural details in thermoelectric materials.
