Thermal Fluctuation-Induced Electricity Generation across a Non-Ideal Diode

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that ambient thermal fluctuations can generate electricity across a non-ideal diode, with output tunable by contact force, offering a new method for environmental energy harvesting.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of electricity generation from thermal fluctuations across a non-ideal diode, highlighting the role of contact force in modulating the effect.

Findings

Electricity is generated from thermal fluctuations across a silicon-aluminum diode.

Contact force modulates Schottky barrier heights and rectifying ratios.

Thermal fluctuation rectification occurs at the quantum-classical boundary.

Abstract

We report experimentally that the electricity is generated from ambient thermal fluctuations across a non-ideal diode consisted of a silicon tip and an aluminum surface. The output is tuned by the contact force which modulates Schottky barrier heights as well as rectifying ratios of the diodes. The interaction regime between the silicon and the aluminum locates at the quantum-classical boundary where thermal fluctuations are appreciable, and the rectification of thermal fluctuations leads to the electricity generation. This finding offers an innovative approach to environmental energy harvesting.