Thermoelectric efficiency of three-terminal quantum thermal machines

Abstract

The efficiency of a thermal engine working in the linear response regime in a multi-terminal configuration is discussed. For the generic three-terminal case, we provide a general definition of local and non-local transport coefficients: electrical and thermal conductances, and thermoelectric powers. Within the Onsager formalism, we derive analytical expressions for the efficiency at maximum power, which can be written in terms of generalized figures of merit. Furthermore, using two examples, we investigate numerically how a third terminal could improve the performance of a quantum system, and under which conditions non-local thermoelectric effects can be observed.

Keywords

• thermoelectric and thermomagnetic effects
• nonequilibrium and irreversible thermodynamics
• electronic transport in mesoscopic systems
• 72.20.Pa
• 05.70.Ln
• 73.23.-b