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arXiv · 1502.04920

Quantum heat engines based on electronic Mach-Zehnder interferometers

Patrick P. Hofer·Björn Sothmann
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Abstract

We theoretically investigate the thermoelectric properties of heat engines based on Mach-Zehnder interferometers. The energy dependence of the transmission amplitudes in such setups arises from a difference in the interferometer arm lengths. Any thermoelectric response is thus of purely quantum mechanical origin. In addition to an experimentally established three-terminal setup, we also consider a two-terminal geometry as well as a four-terminal setup consisting of two interferometers. We find that Mach-Zehnder interferometers can be used as powerful and efficient heat engines which perform well under realistic conditions.

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Patrick P. Hofer, Björn Sothmann. 2017-01-31. Quantum heat engines based on electronic Mach-Zehnder interferometers. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.91.195406

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