A quantum-dot heat engine operating close to the thermodynamic efficiency limits

Nature Nanotechnology
Martin JosefssonHeiner Linke

Abstract

Cyclical heat engines are a paradigm of classical thermodynamics, but are impractical for miniaturization because they rely on moving parts. A more recent concept is particle-exchange (PE) heat engines, which uses energy filtering to control a thermally driven particle flow between two heat reservoirs1,2. As they do not require moving parts and can be realized in solid-state materials, they are suitable for low-power applications and miniaturization. It was predicted that PE engines could reach the same thermodynamically ideal efficiency limits as those accessible to cyclical engines3-6, but this prediction has not been verified experimentally. Here, we demonstrate a PE heat engine based on a quantum dot (QD) embedded into a semiconductor nanowire. We directly measure the engine's steady-state electric power output and combine it with the calculated electronic heat flow to determine the electronic efficiency η. We find that at the maximum power conditions, η is in agreement with the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency6-9 and that the overall maximum η is in excess of 70% of the Carnot efficiency while maintaining a finite power output. Our results demonstrate that thermoelectric power conversion can, in principle, be achieved close to th...Continue Reading

References

Jul 23, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·G D Mahan, J O Sofo
Sep 13, 2002·Physical Review Letters·T E HumphreyH Linke
Mar 24, 2005·Physical Review Letters·T E Humphrey, H Linke
Dec 31, 2005·Physical Review Letters·C Van den Broeck
Sep 25, 2008·Nano Letters·Linus E FröbergLars Samuelson
Apr 28, 2009·Physical Review Letters·Massimiliano EspositoChristian Van den Broeck
Apr 28, 2009·Physical Review Letters·J R PranceD A Ritchie
Jan 15, 2011·Physical Review Letters·Massimiliano EspositoChristian Van den Broeck

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 17, 2019·Physical Review Letters·André M TimpanaroGabriel T Landi
Jul 9, 2020·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Hangbo ZhouYong-Wei Zhang
Oct 2, 2019·Physical Review Letters·G JalielC G Smith
Jul 18, 2018·Nature Nanotechnology·Christian Van den Broeck
Dec 1, 2018·Physical Review Letters·Artis SvilansMartin Leijnse
Feb 20, 2020·Physical Review. E·Nathan M Myers, Sebastian Deffner
Mar 15, 2020·Physical Review. E·Sangyun LeeHawoong Jeong
Mar 15, 2020·Physical Review. E·Zebin LinJizhou He
Aug 30, 2020·Nature Communications·Olivier MailletJukka P Pekola
Nov 26, 2019·Physical Review Letters·Daniel GrestaLiliana Arrachea
May 16, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Federico CarolloIgor Lesanovsky
Oct 21, 2020·Physical Review. E·Jae Sung LeeHyunggyu Park
Jan 10, 2021·Nature Communications·Z B TanP J Hakonen
Jan 23, 2021·Scientific Reports·Matthias A PoppHeiko B Weber
Oct 31, 2020·Physical Review Letters·K OnoFranco Nori
Jan 30, 2019·Entropy·Jose Diazdelacruz, Miguel Angel Martin-Delgado
Jan 8, 2021·Physical Review Letters·Federico CarolloIgor Lesanovsky
Dec 19, 2020·Physical Review Letters·B DuttaC B Winkelmann
Jan 21, 2021·Physical Review. E·Francesco TacchinoMarcelo F Santos
Feb 13, 2020·Nano Letters·Zahra Sadre MomtazStefano Roddaro
Mar 3, 2021·Nature Nanotechnology·Pascal GehringHerre S J van der Zant
Mar 20, 2021·Physical Review. E·Sangyun LeeHawoong Jeong
Jun 3, 2021·Entropy·Eugenia Pyurbeeva, Jan A Mol
Jun 29, 2021·Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal·Kum Hyok JongChol Won Ri
Apr 3, 2019·Nano Letters·Domenic PreteStefano Roddaro
Aug 21, 2021·Physical Review. E·Alex Arash Sand KalaeePatrick P Potts
Aug 21, 2021·Physical Review. E·Jefferson Luan Diniz de OliveiraCleverson Filgueiras
Apr 30, 2020·Nano Letters·I-Ju ChenHeiner Linke
Aug 7, 2019·Chemical Reviews·Enrique BarrigónLars Samuelson
Jan 19, 2021·Nano Letters·Sven DorschAdam Burke

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
transmission electron microscopy

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Y ApertetPh Lecoeur
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Massimiliano EspositoC Van den Broeck
Physical Review Letters
Christian BergenfeldtMarkus Büttiker
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Naoto Shiraishi
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved