Entropy analyses of electronic devices with different energy selective electron tunnels

Abstract

Based on nanoelectronic devices that can act as power generators or refrigerators, the relations between the entropy production rate and the thermal efficiency or coefficient of performance are obtained for two types of electron filters. It is found that the decrease of the entropy production rate does not always guarantee the increase of the thermal efficiency or coefficient of performance, indicating that the state of the minimum entropy production rate does not correspond to that of the maximum thermal efficiency or coefficient of performance in these electronic devices. It implies the fact that different from the thermal efficiency or coefficient of performance, the entropy production rate is not a good objective function for optimizing the performance of electronic devices. However, entropy analyses will be helpful to deeply understanding the thermodynamic properties of electronic devices. These results obtained here will provide a feasible scheme to further optimize and improve the performances of electronic devices.