Optimal Performance Analysis of a Three-Terminal Thermoelectric Refrigerator with Ideal Tunneling Quantum Dots

The model of a three-terminal thermoelectric refrigerator with ideal tunneling quantum dots is established. It consists of a cavity connected to two quantum dots embedded between two electron reservoirs at different temperatures and chemical potentials. According to the Landauer formula the expressions for the heat current, the cooling rate and the coefficient of performance （COP） are derived analytically. The performance characteristic curves of the cooling rate versus the coefficient of performance are plotted with numerical calculation. The optimal regions of the cooling rate and the COP are determined. Moreover, we optimize the cooling rate and the COP with respect to the position of energy level of the right quantum dot, respectively. The influence of the width of energy level and the temperature ratio on performance of the three-terminal thermoelectric refrigerator is analyzed. Lastly, when the width of energy level is small enough, the optimal performance of the refrigerator is discussed in detail.

Full-face excavation of large tunnels in difficult conditions

Following a few preliminary remarks on the tunneling methods at the beginning of the 20th century, thesuccessful applications of the full-face method also in difficult conditions are underlined. The attention isposed on the use of a systematic reinforcement of the face and of the ground, by means of fiber-glasselements. A selection of tunnels where this method was used successfully is reported with the purposeof illustrating the wide spectrum of ground conditions where it has been applied. Then, following adescription of the main concepts behind the method, the attention moves from the so-called “heavymethod”, where deformations are restrained, to the “light method”, where deformations are allowedwith the intention to decrease the stresses acting on the primary and final linings. The progress in theapplication of the “light method” is underlined, up to the development of a novel technique, which relieson the use of a yielding support composed of top head steel sets with sliding joints and specialdeformable elements inserted in the primary lining. The well-known case study of the Saint Martin LaPorte access adit, along the Lyon-Turin Base Tunnel, is described. In this tunnel, a yield-control supportsystem combined with full-face excavation has been adopted successfully in order to cope with the largedeformations experienced during face advance through the Carboniferous formation. The monitoringresults obtained during excavation are illustrated, together with the modeling studies performed whenpaying attention to the rock mass time-dependent behavior.

High-performance sub-10-nm monolayer black phosphorene tunneling transistors

Moore＇s law is approaching its physical limit. Tunneling field-effect transistors （TFETs） based on two-dimensional （2D） materials provide a possible scheme to extend Moore＇s law down to the sub-10-nm region owing to the electrostatic integrity and absence of dangling bonds in 2D materials. We report an ab initio quantum transport study on the device performance of monolayer （ML） black phosphorene （BP） TFETs in the sub-10-nm scale （6-10 nm）. Under the optimal schemes, the ML BP TFETs show excellent device performance along the armchair transport direction. The on-state current, delay time, and power dissipation of the optimal sub-10-nm ML BP TFETs significantly surpass the latest International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors （ITRS） requirements for high- performance devices. The subthreshold swings are 56-100 mV/dec, which are much lower than those of their Schottky barrier and metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor counterparts.