Role of asymmetry in thermoelectric properties of a double quantum dot out of equilibrium

Abstract

We investigate the thermoelectric properties of a double quantum dot system coupled to two metallic reservoirs, focusing on two main effects: (i) the influence of coupling asymmetry between the quantum dot and the reservoirs on the Seebeck coefficient, and (ii) the impact of asymmetry in the energy levels of the dots on current rectification. In the first case, we find that introducing moderate asymmetry significantly enhances the Seebeck coefficient. In the second case, while rectification vanishes when the energy levels are degenerate, substantial rectification is achieved when one energy level lies below and the other above the Fermi level. We further interpret the dependence of rectification magnitude and shape on system parameters using analytical results from a spinless model.