Magnon-driven quantum-dot heat engine

TL;DR

This paper explores a quantum-dot heat engine that converts thermal energy into spin-polarized or pure spin currents, demonstrating optimal efficiency and power in specific magnetic configurations.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum-dot based heat engine capable of converting heat into spin-polarized and pure spin currents with optimal performance in different magnetic alignments.

Findings

Acts as an optimal heat to spin-polarized charge current converter in antiparallel geometry.

Converts heat to pure spin current in parallel configuration.

Discusses maximal output power and efficiency of the device.

Abstract

We investigate a heat- to charge-current converter consisting of a single-level quantum dot coupled to two ferromagnetic metals and one ferromagnetic insulator held at different temperatures. We demonstrate that this nano engine can act as an optimal heat to spin-polarized charge current converter in an antiparallel geometry, while it acts as a heat to pure spin current converter in the parallel case. We discuss the maximal output power of the device and its efficiency.