# Thermopower generation and thermoelectric cooling in a Kane-Mele normal-insulator-superconductor nano-junction

## TL;DR

This study analyzes the thermoelectric properties of a Kane-Mele normal-insulator-superconductor junction at ultra-low temperatures, highlighting tunability via spin-orbit coupling and potential applications in cooling devices.

## Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical analysis of thermoelectric effects in KMNIS junctions, emphasizing the role of spin-orbit coupling and practical cooling applications.

## Key findings

- Thermoelectric cooling is practically realizable in KMNIS junctions.
- Spin-orbit coupling parameters significantly influence thermoelectric performance.
- Potential for use in cooling detectors, sensors, and quantum devices.

## Abstract

We have studied thermoelectric effect of a Kane-Mele normal-insulator-superconductor (KMNIS) junction at ultra-low temperatures using a modified version of the well-known Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) theory. Since both the (electronic) charge and thermal current due to the carriers are sensitive to the strengths of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) present in the Kane-Mele model, a tunability of this junction device with regard to its thermoelectric properties can be experimentally achieved by certain techniques that are used to manipulate the values of the spin-orbit couplings. We have computed the Seebeck coefficient, the Figure of Merit, the thermoelectric cooling, the coefficient of performance of the KMNIS junction as a self-cooling device and investigated the role of the Rashba SOC (RSOC) and intrinsic SOC (ISOC) parameters therein. Our results on the thermoelectric cooling indicate practical realizability and usefulness for efficient cooling detectors, sensors, and quantum devices and hence could be crucial to experimental success of the thermoelectric applications of such junction devices. Further we have briefly touched upon the condition that distinguishes transmission through a topological insulator from an ordinary one.