Performance characteristics of an energy selective electron refrigerator with double resonances

This paper establishes the energy selective electron （ESE） engine with double resonances as a refrigerator in one dimensional （1D） system. It consists of two infinitely large electron reservoirs with different temperatures and chemical potentials, and they are perfectly thermally insulated from each other and interaction only via a double ＇idealized energy filter＇ whose widths are all finite. Taking advantage of the density of state and Fermi distribution in the 1D system, the heat flux into each reservoir may then be calculated. Moreover, the coefficient of performance may be derived from the expressions for the heat flux into the hot and cold reservoirs. The performance characteristic curves are plotted by numerical analysis. The influences of the resonances widths, the energy position of resonance and the space of two resonances on performance of the ESE refrigerator are discussed. The results obtained here have theoretical significance for the understanding of thermodynamic performance of the micro-nano devices.

Performance optimization analysis of a thermoelectric refrigerator with two resonances

Based on electron transport theory, the performance of kx and kr filtered thermoelectric refrigerators with two resonances are studied in this paper. The performance characteristic curves between the cooling rate and the coefficient of performance are plotted by numerical calculation. It is shown that the maximum cooling rate of the thermoelectric refrigerator with two resonances increases but the maximum coefficient of performance decreases compared with those with one resonance. No matter which resonance mechanism is used （kx or kr filtered）, the cooling rate and the performance coefficient of the kr filtered refrigerator are much better than those of the kx filtered one.

Tunable Pair Transmission in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals Consisting of Single-Negative Materials

We study the transmission of one-dimensional photonic crystals consisting of single-negative permittivity and single-negative permeability media by using transfer matrix method. A pair of transmission modes is found in the gap. The transmission modes are dependent only on the ratio of the thicknesses of the two alternating layers. The separation of a pair of transmission modes can be tuned by varying the thickness of the defect layer or the ratio of thicknesses of the two alternating layers.

Simulation and experimental study of a novel bifacial structure of silicon heterojunction solar cell for high efficiency and low cost

A novel structure of Ag gridlSiNx/n＋-c-Si/n-c-Si/i-a-Si：H/p＋-a-Si：HlTCO/Ag grid was designed to increase the ef- ficiency of bifacial amorphous/crystalline silicon-based solar cells and reduce the rear material consumption and production cost. The simulation results show that the new structure obtains higher efficiency compared with the typical bifa- cial amorphous/crystalline silicon-based solar cell because of an increase in the short-circuit current （Jsc）, while retaining the advantages of a high open-circuit voltage, low temperature coefficient, and good weak-light performance. Moreover, real cells composed of the novel structure with dimensions of 75 mm×75 mm were fabricated by a special fabrication recipe based on industrial processes. Without parameter optimization, the cell efficiency reached 21.1% with the Jsc of 41.7 mA/cm^2. In addition, the novel structure attained 28.55% potential conversion efficiency under an illumination of AM 1.5 G, 100 mW/cm^2. We conclude that the configuration of the Ag grid/SiNx/n＋-c-Si/n-c-Si/i-a-Si：H/p＋-a-Si：H/TCO/Ag grid is a promising structure for high efficiency and low cost.

Thermodynamic Performance Characteristics of a Brownian Microscopic Heat Engine Driven by Discrete and Periodic Temperature Field

A Brownian microscopic heat engine with a particle hopping on a one-dimensional lattice driven by adiscrete and periodic temperature field in a periodic sawtooth potential is investigated.In order to clarify the underlyingphysical pictures of the heat engine, the heat flow via the potential energy and the kinetic energy of the particles areconsidered simultaneously.Based on describing the jumps among the three states, the expressions of the efficiency andpower output of the heat engine are derived analytically.The general performance characteristic curves are plotted bynumerical calculation.It is found that the power output-efficiency curve is a loop-shaped one, which is similar to onefor a real irreversible heat engine.The influence of the ratio of the temperature of the hot and cold reservoirs and thesawtooth potential on the maximum efficiency and power output is analyzed for some given parameters.When the heatflows via the kinetic energy is neglected, the power output-efficiency curve is an open-shaped one, which is similar to onefor an endroeversible heat engine.

Effects of the cosmological constant on chaos in an FRW scalar field universe

The dependence of chaos on two parameters of the cosmological constant and the self-interacting coefficient in the imaginary phase space for a closed Friedman- Robertson-Walker （FRW） universe with a conformally coupled scalar field, as the full understanding of the dependence in real phase space, is investigated numerically. It is found that Poincar6 plots for the two parameters less than 1 are almost the same as those in the absence of the cosmological constant and self-interacting terms. For energies below the energy threshold of 0.5 for the imaginary problem in which there are no cosmological constant and self-interacting terms, an abrupt transition to chaos occurs when at least one of the two parameters is 1. However, the strength of the chaos does not increase for energies larger than the threshold. For other situations of the two parameters larger than 1, chaos is weaker, and even disappears as the two parameters increase.

Landau damping of longitudinal oscillation in ultra-relativistic plasmas with nonextensive distribution

The generalized dispersion equation for longitudinal oscillation in an unmagnetized, collisionless, isotropic and relativistic plasma is derived in the context of nonextensive q-distribution. An analytical expression for the Landau damping is obtained in an ultra-relativistic regime, which is related to q-parameter. In the limit q →1, the result based on the relativistic Maxwellian distribution is recovered. It is shown that the interactions between the wave and particles are stronger and the waves are more strongly damped for lower values of q-parameter. The results are explained by the increased number of superthermal particles or low velocity particles contained in the plasma with the nonextensive distribution.

Efficiency at Maximum Power of a Quantum Dot Heat Engine in an External Magnetic Field

We investigate the efficiency at maximum power of a nanothermoelectric heat engine consisting of one spin-degenerate quantum dot embedded between two reservoirs at different temperatures and chemical potentials in an external magnetic field.Based on the stochastic master equation the maximum power and the corresponding efficiency at maximum power are calculated in different external magnetic fields.The result shows that both the maximum power and the corresponding efficiency at maximum power decrease with an increase of the external magnetic field.In the weak magnetic field the corresponding efficiency at maximum power is slightly larger than the Curzon–Ahlborn(CA)efficiency,while in the large magnetic field it is obviously lower than CA efficiency.

Effect of pulse voltage rising time on discharge characteristics of a helium-air plasma at atmospheric pressure

In this paper,the influence of voltage rising time on a pulsed-dc helium-air plasma at atmospheric pressure is numerically simulated.Simulation results show that as the voltage rising time increases from 10 ns to 30 ns,there is a decrease in the discharge current,namely 0.052 A when the voltage rising time is 10 ns and 0.038 A when the voltage rising time is 30 ns.Additionally,a shorter voltage rising time results in a faster breakdown,a more rapidly rising current waveform,and a higher breakdown voltage.Furthermore,the basic parameters of the streamer discharge also increase with voltage rise rate,which is ascribed to the fact that more energetic electrons are produced in a shorter voltage rising time.Therefore,a pulsed-dc voltage with a short rising time is desirable for efficient production of nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma discharge.

Breaking of a Langmuir wave in cold electron-positron-ion plasmas

The space-time evolution of a given density perturbation in cold homogeneous electron- positron-ion plasma is investigated with an assumption of infinitely massive ions by employing a numerical calculation method. The phase-mixing time and wave-breaking time can be effectively distinguished with this method. It is found that an increase of the ratio of equilibrium ion density to equilibrium electron density can attenuate plasma oscillations, leading to a delay in wave breaking. The dependence of the phase-mixing and wave-breaking times on the amplitude of the initial perturbation is also discussed.

Numerical study of the effect of water content on OH production in a pulsed-dc atmospheric pressure helium–air plasma jet

A numerical study of the effect of water content on OH production in a pulsed-dc atmospheric pressure helium-air plasma jet is presented. The generation and loss mechanisms of the OH radicals in a positive half-cycle of the applied voltage are studied and discussed. It is found that the peak OH density increases with water content in air （varying from 0% to 1%） and reaches 6.3 x 10^18 m-3 when the water content is 1%. Besides, as the water content increases from 0.01% to 1%, the space-averaged reaction rate of three-body recombination increases dramatically and is comparable to those of main OH generation reactions.

Brick Wall Model and the Spectrum of a Schwarzschild Black Hole

The quantum entropy of a scalar field near a Schwarzschild black hole is investigated by employing the brick-wall model in the grand canonical ensemble. A positive chemical potential is introduced if the cutoff is set to be of order of the Planck length. We also discuss the relation between the chemical potential and the mass quantum of the black hole.

Thermodynamic Performance of Three-Terminal Hybrid Quantum Dot Thermoelectric Devices

We propose four different models of three-terminal quantum dot thermoelectric devices. From general thermodynamic laws, we examine the rew;rsible efficiencies of the four different models. Based on the master equation, the expressions for the efficiency and power output are derived and the corresponding working regions are determined. Moreover, we particularly analyze the performance of a three-terminal hybrid quantum dot refrigerator. The performance characteristic curves and the optimal performance parameters are obtained. Finally, we discuss the influence of the nonradiative effects on the optimal performance parameters in detail.

A new interpretation of zero Lyapunov exponents in BKL time for Mixmaster cosmology

A global relationship between cosmological time and Belinskii-Khalatnikov -Lifshitz （BKL） time during the entire evolution of the Mixmaster Bianchi IX universe is used to explain why all the Lyapunov exponents are zero at the BKL time. The actual reason is that the domain of the cosmological time is finite as the BKL time runs from minus infinity to infinity.

Inter-Well Coupling and Resonant Tunneling Modes of Multiple Graphene Quantum Wells

We investigate the inter-well coupling of multiple graphene quantum well structures consisting of graphenesuperlattices with different periodic potentials.The general form of the eigenlevel equation for the bound states of thequantum well is expressed in terms of the transfer matrix elements.It is found that the electronic transmission exhibitsresonant tunneling peaks at the eigenlevels of the bound states and shifts to the higher energy with increasing the incidentangle.If there are N coupled quantum wells,the resonant modes have N-fold splitting.The peaks of resonant tunnelingcan be controlled by modulating the graphene barriers.

Influence of quantum degeneracy on the performance of a gas Stirling engine cycle

Based on the state equation of an ideal quantum gas, the regenerative loss of a Stirling engine cycle working with an ideal quantum gas is calculated. Thermal efficiency of the cycle is derived. Furthermore, under the condition of quantum degeneracy, several special thermal efficiencies are discussed. Ratios of thermal efficiencies versus the temperature ratio and volume ratio of the cycle are made. It is found that the thermal efficiency of the cycle not only depends on high and low temperatures but also on maximum and minimum volumes. In a classical gas state the thermal efficiency of the cycle is equal to that of the Carnot cycle. In an ideal quantum gas state the thermal efficiency of the cycle is smaller than that of the Carnot cycle. This will be significant for deeper understanding of the gas Stirling engine cycle.

Thermodynamic Performance Characteristics of an Irreversible Micro-Brownian Heat Engine Driven by Temperature Difference

Based on the master equation describing the particles jump among barriers, the expressions of current, efficiency and power output of the heat engine are derived analytically. The general performance characteristic curves are plotted from the numerical calculation. It is found that the power output-efficiency curve is a loop-shaped one which is similar to the one for a real irreversible heat engine. When the heat flow via the kinetic energy is neglected, the power output-efficieney curve is an open-shaped one which is similar to the one for an endroeversible heat engine.

Behaviour of the current in a two-dimensional Bttiker Landauer motor with entropic barriers

The behaviour of the current in a two-dimensional Biittiker-Landauer motor, which is a position-dependent temperature-driven Brownian motor, is investigated in the presence of entropic and energy barriers. It is found that the motion of the Brownian particles is influenced by the shape of the channel. The existence of an entropic barrier can cause an asymmetric current as the flatness ratio of the shape varies. There exists an optimized flatness ratio （nonzero） at which the current reaches its maximum value.

Electron Acceleration and Bunch Generation by Intense Femtosecond Laser Pulse in Preplasma of a Target

We present analytical studies of electron acceleration in the low-density preplasma of a thin solid target byan intense femtosecond laser pulse.Electrons in the preplasma are trapped and accelerated by the ponderomotive forceas well as the wake field.Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that when the laser pulse is stopped by thetarget,electrons trapped in the laser pules can be extracted and move forward inertially.The energetic electron bunchin the bubble is unaffected by the reflected pulse and passes through the target with small energy spread and emittance.There is an optimal preplasma density for the generation of the monoenergetic electron bunch if a laser pulse is given.The maximum electron energy is inverse proportion to the preplasma density.

Performance of an irreversible quantum refrigeration cycle

A new model of a quantum refrigeration cycle composed of two adiabatic and two isomagnetic field processes is established. The working substance in the cycle consists of many non-interacting spin-1/2 systems. The performance of the cycle is investigated, based on the quantum master equation and semi-group approach. The general expressions of several important performance parameters, such as the coefficient of performance, cooling rate, and power input, are given. It is found that the coefficient of performance of this cycle is in the closest analogy to that of the classical Carnot cycle. Furthermore, at high temperatures the optimal relations of the cooling rate and the maximum cooling rate are analysed in detail. Some performance characteristic curves of the cycle are plotted, such as the cooling rate versus the maximum ratio between high and low ＂temperatures＂ of the working substances, the maximum cooling rate versus the ratio between high and low ＂magnetic fields＂ and the ＂temperature＂ ratio between high and low reservoirs. The obtained results are further generalized and discussed, so that they may be directly applied to describing the performance of the quantum refrigerator using spin-J systems as the working substance. Finally, the optimum characteristics of the quantum Carnot and Ericsson refrigeration cycles are derived by analogy.