2020/03/31 by Sven Dorsch, Artis Svilans, Martin Josefsson +7
Computer Science · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design #Materials science #Nanotechnology #Optoelectronics #Physics #Quantum Computing Algorithms and Architecture #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Quantum dot #cond-mat.mes-hall
paper · pdf · doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04017
published as Nano Lett. 21 (2021) 988-994 · 11 pages, 4 figures + SI
arxiv created 2020/10/06 · openalex publication_date 2021/01/18 · arxiv updated 2021/02/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Studies of thermally induced transport in nanostructures provide access to an exciting regime where fluctuations are relevant, enabling the investigation of fundamental thermodynamic concepts and the realization of thermal energy harvesters. We study a serial double quantum dot formed in an InAs/InP nanowire coupled to two electron reservoirs. By means of a specially designed local metallic joule-heater, the temperature of the phonon bath in the vicinity of the double quantum dot can be enhanced. This results in phonon-assisted transport, enabling the conversion of local heat into electrical power in a nanosized heat engine. Simultaneously, the electron temperatures of the reservoirs are affected, resulting in conventional thermoelectric transport. By detailed modeling and experimentally tuning the interdot coupling, we disentangle both effects. Furthermore, we show that phonon-assisted transport is sensitive to excited states. Our findings demonstrate the versatility of our design to study fluctuations and fundamental nanothermodynamics.