Coupled quantum dots could make good energy harvesters

Researchers have observed a new type of thermoelectric effect in a system made up of two quantum dots that interact capacitively with one another. The device, which could be used as an energy harvester, could help in the development of a new generation of multi-terminal nanoscale heat engines.
 a, Schematic of the three-terminal device geometry. One electronic reservoir (H, red) is at a high temperature (T + ΔT ) and can exchange electrons (green) with quantum dot QDG (yellow disc), as indicated by a red arrow. Two other reservoirs (L and R, blue) at a lower temperature T are tunnel-coupled to another quantum dot (QDC). The quantum dots interact only capacitively (yellow wave) and particle exchange between them is suppressed. b, Schematic of the gate layout (black). Individual gates are denoted by numbers. Gates 1–4 form the heating channel, representing reservoir H, and gates 3–8 form the quantum dot system. Gates PC and PG are used to tune the energies of the dots individually. Courtesy: Nature Nanotechnology


The researchers, led by Laurens Molenkamp, of the University of Würzburg detail their work in Nature Nanotechnology doi:10.1038/nnano.2015.176.
Read more here: http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/62272