Thermosize potentials in semiconductors

A thermosize junction consists of two different sized structures made using the same material. Classical and quantum thermosize effects (CTSEs and QTSEs), which are opposite to each other, induce a thermosize potential in a thermosize junction. A semi-analytical method is proposed to calculate thermosize potentials in wide ranges of degeneracy and confinement by considering both CTSEs and QTSEs in thermosize junctions made using semiconductors. Dependencies of thermosize potential on temperature, size, and degeneracy are examined. It is shown that a potential difference in millivolt scale can be induced as a combined effect of CTS and QTS. The highest potential is obtained in nondegenerate limit where the full analytical solution is obtained. The model can be used to design semiconductor thermosize devices for a possible experimental verification of CTSEs and QTSEs, which may lead to new nano energy conversion devices.