We study by means of full quantum simulations the operating principle and performance of a semiconductor heterostructure refrigerator combining resonant tunneling filtering and thermionic emission. Our model takes into account the coupling between the electric and thermal currents by self-consistently solving the transport equations within the non-equilibrium Green's function framework and the heat equation. We show that the device can achieve relatively high cooling power values, while in the considered implementation, the maximum lattice temperature drop is severely limited by the thermal conductivity of the constituting materials. In such an out-of-equilibrium structure, we then emphasize the significant deviation of the phonon temperature from its electronic counterpart which can vary over several hundred Kelvin. The interplay between those two temperatures and the impact on the electrochemical potential is also discussed. Finally, viable options toward an optimization of the device are proposed
Thermionic cooling devices based on resonant-tunneling AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure / Bescond, M; Logoteta, D; Michelini, F; Cavassilas, N; Yan, T; Yangui, A; Lannoo, M; Hirakawa, K. - In: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER. - ISSN 1361-648X. - 30:6(2018), pp. 1-8. [10.1088/1361-648X/aaa4cf]
Thermionic cooling devices based on resonant-tunneling AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure
Logoteta D;
2018
Abstract
We study by means of full quantum simulations the operating principle and performance of a semiconductor heterostructure refrigerator combining resonant tunneling filtering and thermionic emission. Our model takes into account the coupling between the electric and thermal currents by self-consistently solving the transport equations within the non-equilibrium Green's function framework and the heat equation. We show that the device can achieve relatively high cooling power values, while in the considered implementation, the maximum lattice temperature drop is severely limited by the thermal conductivity of the constituting materials. In such an out-of-equilibrium structure, we then emphasize the significant deviation of the phonon temperature from its electronic counterpart which can vary over several hundred Kelvin. The interplay between those two temperatures and the impact on the electrochemical potential is also discussed. Finally, viable options toward an optimization of the device are proposedFile | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
Bescond_ Thermionic cooling devices_2018.pdf
solo gestori archivio
Tipologia:
Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza:
Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione
938.7 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
938.7 kB | Adobe PDF | Contatta l'autore |
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.