Photoelectric converters with quantum coherence

Abstract

Photon impingement is capable of liberating electrons in electronic devices and driving the electron flux from the lower chemical potential to higher chemical potential. Previous studies hinted that the thermodynamic efficiency of a nano-sized photoelectric converter at maximum power is bounded by the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency. In this study, we apply quantum effects to design a photoelectric converter based on a three-level quantum dot (QD) interacting with fermionic baths and photons. We show that, by adopting a pair of suitable degenerate states, quantum coherences induced by the couplings of quantum dots (QDs) to sunlight and fermion baths can coexist steadily in nano-electronic systems. Our analysis indicates that the efficiency at maximum power is no more limited to Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency through manipulation of carefully controlled quantum coherences.

6 pages, 3 figures

References in corpus (4)

• Efficiency at maximum power of Feynman's ratchet as a heat engine
• Quantum-Classical Transition of Photon-Carnot Engine Induced by Quantum Decoherence
• Steady quantum coherence in non-equilibrium environment
• Efficiency at maximum power of a quantum Otto engine: Both within finite-time and irreversible thermodynamics

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• Energetic and entropic effects of bath-induced coherences
• Effects of noise-induced coherence on the performance of quantum absorption refrigerators
• Thermodynamics from indistinguishability: mitigating and amplifying the effects of the bath
• Transport coefficients for a confined Brownian ratchet operating between two heat reservoirs
• The heat and work of quantum thermodynamic processes with quantum coherence
• Steady bipartite coherence induced by non-equilibrium environment
• Coherence-enhanced thermodynamic performance in a periodically-driven inelastic heat engine
• Thermodynamics of Cyclic Quantum Amplifiers
• Certifying quantum enhancements in thermal machines beyond the Thermodynamic Uncertainty Relation
• Quantum noise theory for phonon transport through nanostructures
• Finite-time quantum measurement cooling beyond the Carnot limit
• Enhancing photoelectric current by nonclassical light
• The reverse flow and amplification of heat in a quantum-dot system