Voltage fluctuation to current converter with Coulomb-coupled quantum dots
Abstract
We study the rectification of voltage fluctuations in a system consisting of two Coulomb-coupled quantum dots. The first quantum dot is connected to a reservoir where voltage fluctuations are supplied and the second one is attached to two separate leads via asymmetric and energy-dependent transport barriers. We observe a rectified output current through the second quantum dot depending quadratically on the noise amplitude supplied to the other Coulomb-coupled quantum dot. The current magnitude and direction can be switched by external gates, and maximum output currents are found in the nA region. The rectification delivers output powers in the pW region. Future devices derived from our sample may be applied for energy harvesting on the nanoscale beneficial for autonomous and energy-efficient electronic applications.
Citation
Hartmann , F , Pfeffer , P , Höfling , S , Kamp , M & Worschech , L 2015 , ' Voltage fluctuation to current converter with Coulomb-coupled quantum dots ' , Physical Review Letters , vol. 114 , no. 14 . https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.146805
Publication
Physical Review Letters
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0031-9007Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2015 American Physical Society. Archived in accordance with the publisher's reuse policy. Originally published by Physical Review Letters, 114(14), here: https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.146805
Description
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the European Union (FPVII, 2007-2013) under Grant Agreement No. 256959 NANOPOWER and Grant Agreement No. 318287 LANDAUER as well as from the state of Bavaria.Collections
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