Persistent versus dissipative Peltier effect in a topological quantum thermocouple

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Jimenez-Valencia, Marco A., Xu, Yiheng, Stafford, Charles A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Jimenez-Valencia, Marco A.
Xu, Yiheng
Stafford, Charles A.
author_facet Jimenez-Valencia, Marco A.
Xu, Yiheng
Stafford, Charles A.
contents The Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect on the thermoelectric properties of three-terminal quantum devices is investigated. Thermodynamic relations among the linear-response coefficients of these devices are derived and interpreted. General expressions are derived using nonequilibrium Green's functions, and applied to calculate the thermoelectric response of a model quantum thermocouple. It is shown that the AB effect can generate a large thermoelectric response in a device with particle-hole symmetry, which nominally has zero Seebeck and Peltier coefficients. In addition to modifying the external electric and thermal currents of the device, the AB effect also induces persistent electric and thermal currents. One might expect that a persistent electric current in a quantum thermocouple, through the Peltier effect, could lead to persistent Peltier cooling, violating the 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics. However, this apparent paradox is resolved by elucidating the distinction between persistent and dissipative currents in quantum thermoelectrics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_06312
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Persistent versus dissipative Peltier effect in a topological quantum thermocouple
Jimenez-Valencia, Marco A.
Xu, Yiheng
Stafford, Charles A.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Statistical Mechanics
The Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect on the thermoelectric properties of three-terminal quantum devices is investigated. Thermodynamic relations among the linear-response coefficients of these devices are derived and interpreted. General expressions are derived using nonequilibrium Green's functions, and applied to calculate the thermoelectric response of a model quantum thermocouple. It is shown that the AB effect can generate a large thermoelectric response in a device with particle-hole symmetry, which nominally has zero Seebeck and Peltier coefficients. In addition to modifying the external electric and thermal currents of the device, the AB effect also induces persistent electric and thermal currents. One might expect that a persistent electric current in a quantum thermocouple, through the Peltier effect, could lead to persistent Peltier cooling, violating the 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics. However, this apparent paradox is resolved by elucidating the distinction between persistent and dissipative currents in quantum thermoelectrics.
title Persistent versus dissipative Peltier effect in a topological quantum thermocouple
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Statistical Mechanics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.06312