Heating and thermoelectric transport in a molecular junction

The energy dissipation and heat flows associated with the particle current in a system with a molecular junction are considered. In this connection, we determine the effective temperature of the molecular oscillator that is compatible with the existence of a steady state. The calculations based on the Kadanoff-Baym nonequilibrium Green function formalism are carried out supposing a strong coupling of the dot electrons with the molecular vibrations. Accordingly, the representation given by the Lang-Firsov polaron transformation is used and the dependence of results on the electron–phonon interaction strength is investigated.