Extrinsic thermoelectric response of coherent conductors

Abstract

We investigate the thermoelectric response of a coherent conductor in contact with a scanning probe. Coupling to the probe has the dual effect of allowing for the controlled local injection of heat currents into the system and of inducing interference patterns in the transport coefficients. This is sufficient to generate a multiterminal thermoelectric effect even if the conductor does not effectively break electron-hole symmetry and the tip injects no charge. Considering a simple model for noninteracting electrons, we find a nonlocal thermoelectric response which is modulated by the position of the hot probe tip, and a nonreciprocal longitudinal response which leads to a thermoelectric diode effect. A separate investigation of the effects of dephasing and of quasielastic scattering gives further insights into the different mechanisms involved.

Engineering dynamical couplings for quantum thermodynamic tasks

“…Before closing, we comment on another relevant aspect for quantum devices, i.e. the possibility to achieve rectification of heat current flows [45,46,[81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89]. It has been shown recently that heat rectification can be obtained in a linear system (as a QHO) by relying on external time-dependent forces [74,90].…”

Impact of Quantum Coherence on Inelastic Thermoelectric Devices: From Diode to Transistor

“…[9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Coherence offers a promising viewpoint for investigating non-equilibrium open quantum systems, providing valuable insights for both theoretical foundations and practical applications. [16][17][18][19][20][21] However, exploration of phononthermoelectric devices with quantum coherence, e.g., diodes and transistors, is still on demand.…”