Work

Effects of interdot hopping and Coulomb blockade on the thermoelectric properties of serially coupled quantum dots

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: We have theoretically studied the thermoelectric properties of serially coupled quantum dots (SCQDs) embedded in an insulator connected to metallic electrodes. In the framework of Keldysh Green’s function technique, the Landauer formula of transmission factor is obtained using the equation of motion method. Based on such analytical expressions of charge and heat currents, we calculate the electrical conductance, Seebeck coefficient, electron thermal conductance, and figure of merit (ZT) of SCQDs in the linear response regime. The effects of interdot hopping and electron Coulomb interactions on ZT are analyzed. We demonstrate that ZT is not a monotonic increasing function of interdot electron hopping strength (t c ). We also show that in the absence of phonon thermal conductance, SCQD can reach the Carnot efficiency as t c approaches zero.

Source: Nanoscale Research Letters

DOI: 10.1186/1556-276x-7-257

Authors: David M T Kuo, Yia-Chung Chang

Institutions: Research Center for Applied Science, Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica

Language: English

Topic: Quantum and electron transport phenomena

Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,790

Funder: National Science Council