The optimum configuration design of a nanostructured thermoelectric device with resonance tunneling

TL;DR

This paper designs an optimized nanostructured thermoelectric device with resonance tunneling, demonstrating high efficiency and power output through parameter optimization based on quantum transport theory.

Contribution

It introduces a novel design method for thermoelectric devices using resonance tunneling and provides an optimal configuration for enhanced performance.

Findings

The heterojunction acts as an effective energy filter.

Optimal parameter selection yields high efficiency and power.

The device's performance curve is characterized and optimized.

Abstract

A nanostructured thermoelectric device is designed by connecting a double-barrier resonant tunneling heterostructure to two electron reservoirs. Based on Landauers equation and Fermi-Dirac statistics, the exact solution of the heat flow is calculated. The maximum power output and efficiency are calculated through the optimizations of several key parameters. The optimum characteristic curve of the performance is obtained. The reasonably working region of the device is determined, the selection criteria of main parameters are provided, and the optimum configuration of the device is drawn. Results show that the heterojunction becomes a perfect energy filter by appropriately regulating the chemical potentials of electron reservoirs and optimally choosing the widths of barrier and quantum well and the nanostructured thermoelectric device with resonance tunneling may obtain simultaneously a large power output and a high efficiency.