Harvesting dissipated energy with a mesoscopic ratchet

B. Roche, P. Roulleau (), T. Jullien, Y. Jompol, I. Farrer, D.A. Ritchie and D.C. Glattli
Additional contact information
B. Roche: Nanoelectronics Group, Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé
P. Roulleau: Nanoelectronics Group, Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé
T. Jullien: Nanoelectronics Group, Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé
Y. Jompol: Nanoelectronics Group, Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé
I. Farrer: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
D.A. Ritchie: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
D.C. Glattli: Nanoelectronics Group, Service de Physique de l’Etat Condensé

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-5

Abstract: Abstract The search for new efficient thermoelectric devices converting waste heat into electrical energy is of major importance. The physics of mesoscopic electronic transport offers the possibility to develop a new generation of nanoengines with high efficiency. Here we describe an all-electrical heat engine harvesting and converting dissipated power into an electrical current. Two capacitively coupled mesoscopic conductors realized in a two-dimensional conductor form the hot source and the cold converter of our device. In the former, controlled Joule heating generated by a voltage-biased quantum point contact results in thermal voltage fluctuations. By capacitive coupling the latter creates electric potential fluctuations in a cold chaotic cavity connected to external leads by two quantum point contacts. For unequal quantum point contact transmissions, a net electrical current is observed proportional to the heat produced.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7738

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