Speaker
Heiner Linke
(Lund University)
Description
It has been known for some time that a perfect
(delta-function) energy filter allows, in principle,
thermal-to-electric energy conversion near ideal (Carnot)
efficiency. [1,2] I will give an introduction to this
concept and to thermoelectrics in general, focusing on
reversible heat engines. Then I will focus on a recent
experiment where we realized a near-ideal quantum-dot heat
engine in devices based on single nanowires, realizing power
production at maximum power with Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency,
and reaching more than 70% of Carnot efficiency at maximum
efficiency settings [3]. I will also discuss possible
applications of this concept to hot-carrier solar cells.
[1] Mahan, G. D., & Sofo, J. O. (1996). The best
thermoelectric. Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences of the United States of America, 93(15), 7436–7439.
[2] Humphrey, T. E., Newbury, R., Taylor, R. P., & Linke, H.
(2002). Reversible Quantum Brownian Heat Engines for
Electrons. Physical Review Letters, 89(11), 116801.
http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.116801
[3] Martin Josefsson, Artis Svilans, Adam M. Burke, Eric A.
Hoffmann, Sofia Fahlvik, Claes Thelander, Martin Leijnse,
Heiner Linke: A quantum-dot heat engine operated close to
thermodynamic efficiency limits. Nature Nanotechnology 13,
920-924 (2018)
