Performance characteristics and optimal analysis of an interacting quantum dot thermoelectric refrigerator

Abstract

We investigate the thermodynamic performance of a quantum-dot refrigerator consisting of a single orbital interacting quantum dot embedded between two electron reservoirs at different temperatures and chemical potentials. Based on the quantum master equation the expressions for the cooling power and the coefficient of performance are derived. The characteristic curves between the cooling power and the coefficient of performance are plotted, and the optimal regions of the performance parameters are determined. Moreover, the optimal performance parameters are calculated numerically. Finally, the influence of the Coulomb interaction and the temperature ratio on optimal performance parameters are discussed in detail. The results obtained here can provide some theoretical guidelines for the design and operation of the practical quantum-dot refrigerator. Our work is not restricted to the linear-response regime.

Advanced Thermoelectric Design: From Materials and Structures to Devices

“…486 Other calculations for an interacting QD thermoelectric refrigerator based on the quantum master equation showed that a high maximum cooling power, Q max , of ∼0.43 J S −1 and a high COP of >0.09 can be achieved by tuning the Coulomb interaction U. 487 These calculated results can provide theoretical guidelines for the design and operation of the practical QD-based thermoelectric devices.…”

Thermodynamic characteristics and research progress of energy-conversion quantum systems

“…典型的两端量子 点热电器件是由量子点嵌入到两个具有不同温度和化 学势的电子库构成. 基于塞贝克与帕尔帖效应量子点 热电器件能够作为热机 [17,120,[143][144][145] 、热泵 [146,147] 或制 冷机 [21,[148][149][150] 实现不同的能量转换过程.…”

“…Zhang和 He [153] , Wang等人 . 2012年, Muralidharan和Grifoni [120] , Zhang等人 [149] 研究了库仑相互作用对单能级相互作用量子点装置热 电效率和制冷效率的影响. 上述研究主要关注单能级 量子点系统的热电性能, 而实际的量子点器件往往有 不止一个能级参与电子的输运, 因此研究多能级量子 点热电系统也进一步产生了许多有趣的现象 [156][157][158] .…”

Performance analysis of an interacting quantum dot heat engine with an external applied magnetic field

“…By using the quantum master equation, the evolution of the occupation probability is described as [20][21][22][23][25][26][27] …”

“…Muralidharan and Grifoni used nonequilibrium currents of the steady state to evaluate the performance of a thermoelectric setup through a single orbital interacting quantum dot, in which the Coulomb interaction was taken into account [24]. Zhang et al used the master equation to evaluate a spin degenerate quantum dot refrigerator in which the influence of the Coulomb interaction was considered as well [25]. Wang et al studied a quantum dot engine with two discrete energy levels, in which the Coulomb energy between the electrons in one energy level was neglected, revealing the effects of the energy level and energy space on the performance of the engine [26].…”