Asymmetric Scattering Drives Large Nonlinear Nernst and Seebeck Effects

TL;DR

This paper develops a unified semiclassical theory including extrinsic asymmetric scattering mechanisms to explain large nonlinear Nernst and Seebeck effects in various non-magnetic and magnetic materials, supported by experimental case studies.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theory of extrinsic contributions to nonlinear thermoelectric effects, highlighting their significance and symmetry conditions in different materials.

Findings

Extrinsic scattering mechanisms dominate nonlinear thermoelectric responses.

Large nonlinear Nernst and Seebeck effects observed in ABA-stacked trilayer graphene.

The theory aligns well with recent experimental observations.

Abstract

The nonlinear Nernst and Seebeck effects (NNE and NSE) offer promising routes for thermoelectric energy conversion in non-magnetic systems. While intrinsic mechanisms such as the nonlinear Drude and Berry-curvature-dipole terms are well established, extrinsic contributions to thermoelectric responses arising from disorder-induced asymmetric scattering remain comparatively less explored, despite growing experimental evidence of their dominance. Here, we develop a unified semiclassical theory of NNE and NSE that incorporates skew scattering and side-jump processes, identifying four distinct extrinsic contributions to NNE and two for NSE. A systematic symmetry analysis shows that these responses are allowed in time-reversal-symmetric non-magnets, PT-symmetric antiferromagnets, and non-centrosymmetric magnetic systems such as altermagnets. As a case study, we demonstrate that ABA-stacked trilayer graphene hosts large nonlinear Nernst and Seebeck responses dominated by extrinsic scattering, in excellent agreement with recent experiments. Our results establish the microscopic origin of these effects and provide guiding principles for designing high-efficiency nonlinear thermoelectric devices.