GENERALIZED THERMODYNAMIC POTENTIALS FOR MESOSCOPIC CONDUCTORS IN THEPRESENCE OF TRANSPORT

It is shown that the nonequilibrium steady state of a phase-coherent c onductor can be described by a generalized thermodynamic potential bas ed on the concept of partial densities of states. This is possible due to the fact that dissipation takes place only in the contacts for the emitted carriers. Long-range Coulomb interaction is included, and cha rge conservation and gauge invariance an satisfied. The theory is illu strated for a mesoscopic capacitor with leakage.