  Efficiency of thermoelectric materials is characterized by the figure of
merit Z. Z has been believed to be a peculiar material constant. However, the
accurate measurements in the present work reveal that Z has large size
dependence and a non-linear temperature distribution appears as stationary
state in the thermoelectric material. The observation of these phenomena is
achieved by the Harman method. This method is the most appropriate way to
investigate the thermoelectric properties because the dc and ac resistances are
measured by the same electrode configuration. We describe the anomalous
thermoelectric properties observed in mainly (Bi,Sb)2Te3 by the Harman method
and then insist that Z is not the peculiar material constant but must be
defined as the physical quantity dependent of the size and the position in the
material.
