Quantum thermocouples: nonlocal conversion and control of heat in nanostructures

Abstract

Nanoscale conductors are interesting for thermoelectrics because of their particular spectral features connecting separated heat and particle currents. Multiterminal devices in the quantum regime benefit from phase-coherent phenomena, which turns the thermoelectric effect nonlocal, and from tunable single-particle interactions. This way one can define quantum thermocouples which convert an injected heat current into useful power in an isothermal conductor, or work as refrigerators. Additionally, efficient heat management devices can be defined. We review recent theoretical and experimental progress in the research of multiterminal thermal and thermoelectric quantum transport leading to proposals of autonomous quantum heat engines and thermal devices.