Heat, molecular vibrations, and adiabatic driving in non-equilibrium transport through interacting quantum dots

FEDERICA HAUPT; MARTIN LEIJNSE; HERNAN L. CALVO; LAURA CLASSEN; JANINE SPLETTSTOESSER; MAARTEN R. WEGEWIJS

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI B-BASIC RESEARCH

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

Lugar: Weinheim; Año: 2013 vol. 250 p. 2315 - 2329

0370-1972

In this article we review aspects of charge and heat transport in interacting quantum dots and molecular junctions under stationary and time-dependent non-equilibrium conditions due to finite electrical and thermal bias. In particular, we discuss how a discrete level spectrum can be beneficial for thermoelectric applications, and investigate the detrimental effects of molecular vibrations on the efficiency of a molecular quantum dot as an energy converter. In addition, we consider the effects of a slow time-dependent modulation of applied voltages on the transport properties of a quantum dot and show how this can be used as a spectroscopic tool complementary to standard dc-measurements. Finally, we combine time-dependent driving with thermoelectrics in a double-quantum dot system ?a nanoscale analog of a cyclic heat engine? and discuss its operation and the main limitations to its performance.