Enhancing thermoelectric properties of graphene quantum rings

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the thermoelectric properties of graphene quantum rings can be significantly improved by tuning the chemical potential and applying a side-gate voltage, enabling potential use as a tunable thermoelectric generator.

Contribution

It introduces a method to enhance thermoelectric efficiency in graphene rings through electrical tuning and explores the effects of different connection configurations and resonances.

Findings

Thermopower and figure of merit are greatly enhanced near resonances.

Fano anti-resonances can be induced by a side-gate voltage, independent of geometry.

The device can function as a tunable thermoelectric generator.

Abstract

We study the thermoelectric properties of rectangular graphene rings connected symmetrically or asymmetrically to the leads. A side-gate voltage applied across the ring allows for the precise control of the electric current flowing through the system. The transmission coefficient of the rings manifests Breit-Wigner line-shapes and/or Fano line-shapes, depending on the connection configuration, the width of nanoribbons forming the ring and the side-gate voltage. We find that the thermopower and the figure of merit are greatly enhanced when the chemical potential is tuned close to resonances. Such enhancement is even more pronounced in the vicinity of Fano like anti-resonances which can be induced by a side-gate voltage independently of the geometry. This opens a possibility to use the proposed device as a tunable thermoelectric generator.