# Transport out of locally broken detailed balance

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how breaking detailed balance locally in a minimal model of two metallic islands can induce electric and heat currents, even between equilibrated terminals, by externally modulating potentials and temperatures.

## Contribution

It introduces a minimal model demonstrating how local detailed balance breaking can generate currents without global gradients.

## Key findings

- Finite electric flow occurs when detailed balance is broken locally.
- External modulation of potentials and temperatures controls current flow.
- The model provides insights into non-equilibrium transport phenomena.

## Abstract

Electrons move along potential or thermal gradients. In the presence of a global gradient, applied e.g. to the two terminals of a conductor, this induces electric charge and heat currents. They can also flow between two equilibrated terminals (at the same voltage and temperature) if detailed balance is broken in some part of the system. A minimal model involving two metallic islands in series is introduced whose internal potential and temperatures can be externally modulated. The conditions for a finite electric flow are discussed.