Single-electron Faraday generator

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical possibility of generating a single-electron current by mechanically rotating a conducting rod with a tunnel junction in a magnetic field, using thermodynamic and quantum approaches.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework combining thermodynamics and quantum density matrix methods to analyze single-electron tunneling in a rotating device.

Findings

Single-electron tunneling oscillations are theoretically possible at low temperatures.

Conditions similar to Coulomb blockade are required for SET oscillations.

The study provides a foundation for mechanically induced single-electron transport.

Abstract

In this paper I study the posibility of inducing a single-electron current by rotating a non-magnetic conducting rod with a small tunnel junction immerse in a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of motion. I show first, by using a thermodynamic approach, the conditions needed to pump electrons around the mechanical device in the Coulomb blockade regime. I then use a density matrix approach to describe the dynamics of the single-charge transport including many-body effects. The theory shows that it is possible to have single-electron tunneling (SET) oscillations at low temperatures by satisfying conditions similar to the Coulomb blockade systems.