Thermosize potential in semiconductors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a semi-analytical model to calculate thermosize potentials in semiconductor junctions, considering both classical and quantum effects, with potential applications in nano energy conversion devices.

Contribution

It presents a novel semi-analytical approach to evaluate thermosize potentials considering both CTSE and QTSE across various degeneracy and confinement regimes.

Findings

Potential difference can reach millivolts scale.

Maximum potential occurs in non-degenerate limit.

Model aids in designing thermosize semiconductor devices.

Abstract

A thermosize junction consists of two different sized structures made by the same material. Classical and quantum thermosize effects (CTSE and QTSE), which are opposite to each other, induce a thermosize potential in a thermosize junction. A semi-analytical method is proposed to calculate thermosize potentials in wide ranges of degeneracy and confinement by considering both CTSE and QTSE in thermosize junctions made by semiconductors. Dependencies of thermosize potential on temperature, size and degeneracy are examined. It is shown that a potential difference in millivolts scale can be induced as a combined effect of CTSE and QTSE. The highest potential is obtained in non-degenerate limit where the full analytical solution is obtained. The model can be used to design semiconductor thermosize devices for a possible experimental verification of CTSE and QTSE, which may lead to new nano energy conversion devices.