Calculation of average electron mean free path for metallic thin films

1987 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chu-Xing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Free Path ◽  
Mean Free Path ◽  
Metallic Thin Films ◽  
Average Electron ◽  
Electron Mean Free Path

Electron effective mean free path and thermal conductivity predictions of metallic thin films

2008 ◽  
Vol 92 (17) ◽  
pp. 171910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Sik Jin ◽  
Joon Sik Lee ◽  
Ohmyoung Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Free Path ◽  
Mean Free Path ◽  
Metallic Thin Films

Interplay Between Thermoelectric and Thermionic Effects in Heterostructures

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taofang Zeng ◽  
Gang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Film Thickness ◽  
Free Path ◽  
Thermionic Emission ◽  
Approximate Solutions ◽  
Mean Free Path ◽  
Boltzmann Transport ◽  
Thermoelectric Effects ◽  
Double Heterojunction ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Electron Mean Free Path

Abstract When electrons sweep through a double-heterojunction structure, there exist thermionic effects at the junctions and thermoelectric effects in the film. While both thermoelectric and thermionic effects have been studied for refrigeration and power generation applications separately, their interplay in heterostructures is not understood. This paper establishes a unified model including both thermionic and thermoelectric processes based on the Boltzmann transport equation for electrons, and the nonequilibrium interaction between electrons and phonons. Approximate solutions are obtained, leading to the electron temperature and Fermi level distributions inside heterostructures and discontinuities at the interfaces as a consequence of the highly nonequilibrium transport when the film thickness is much smaller than the electron mean free path. It is found that when the film thickness is smaller than the mean free path of electrons, the transport of electrons is controlled by thermionic emission. The coexistence of thermoelectric and thermionic effects may increase the power factor when the electron mean free path is comparable to the film thickness.

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