Proposal for a phase-coherent thermoelectric transistor
Abstract
Identifying materials and devices which offer efficient thermoelectric effects at low temperature is a major obstacle for the development of thermal management strategies for low-temperature electronic systems. Superconductors cannot offer a solution since their near perfect electron-hole symmetry leads to a negligible thermoelectric response; however, here we demonstrate theoretically a superconducting thermoelectric transistor which offers unparalleled figures of merit of up to ∼45 and Seebeck coefficients as large as a few mV/K at sub-Kelvin temperatures. The device is also phase-tunable meaning its thermoelectric response for power generation can be precisely controlled with a small magnetic field. Our concept is based on a superconductor-normal metal-superconductor interferometer in which the normal metal weak-link is tunnel coupled to a ferromagnetic insulator and a Zeeman split superconductor. Upon application of an external magnetic flux, the interferometer enables phase-coherent manipulation of thermoelectric properties whilst offering efficiencies which approach the Carnot limit.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 11, 2014
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4893443
Entities
People
- F. Giazotto
- F. S. Bergeret
- J. S. Moodera
- J. W. A. Robinson
Organizations
- Donostia International Physics Center
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- Scuola Normale Superiore
- University of Cambridge