Microwave power harvesting using resonator-coupled double quantum dot photodiode

Abstract

We demonstrate a microwave power-to-electrical energy conversion in a resonator-coupled double quantum dot. The system, operated as a photodiode, converts individual microwave photons to electrons tunneling through the double dot, resulting in an electrical current flowing against the applied voltage bias at input powers down to 1 femto-watt. The device attains a maximum power harvesting efficiency of 2%, with the photon-to-electron conversion efficiency reaching 12% in the single photon absorption regime. We find that the power conversion depends on thermal effects showing that thermodynamics plays a crucial role in the single photon energy conversion.