Figure 3
From: Thermal electron-tunneling devices as coolers and amplifiers
Cooling performance of the proposed device.
(a–c) Cooling modulus, φ, as a function of δ1 and δ2, parametrized in the tunnel width, ΔE/k. (a) As ΔE/k approaches zero, the device attains the reversible performance. (b,c) As ΔE/k increases, the irreversibility related to the electron transport increases, causing φ to decrease. (d,e) The cooling rate, qc, as a function of δ1 and δ2. We are able to identify qc,max in the operable regime. (f) qc versus φ after optimization of qc with respect to δ1. There exists a negative slope arc segment on which qc decreases as φ increases. This trend appears more pronounced for ΔE/k = 0.5 K.
