Chiral molecules and magnets as efficient thermoelectric converters

Thermoelectric effects allow replacing mechanical work with electric power, and the resulting devices can be used as heat engines or refrigerators. In the former, a voltage is generated by connecting the device to contacts at different temperatures, while in the latter electric power induces the heat flow from cold to hot reservoirs. Thermoelectric nanoscale devices hold great technological potential due to the ability to integrate them into chips. So far, however, their practical use is hindered by their low performance. We suggest here a design for thermoelectric devices based on chiral organic molecules connected to two magnetic electrodes. Our device utilizes the chiral-induced spin selectivity exhibited by such chiral systems and specifically its main manifestation of strong spin-dependent transport. We analyze the figure of merit and generated power of chiral-molecule-based heat engines and show that both can be significant with the potential to exceed other existing designs.

Automated summary

Thermoelectric devices have the potential to replace mechanical work with electric power, but their practical use is hindered by their low performance. A new design using chiral organic molecules connected to magnetic electrodes shows promise in increasing the efficiency and power generation of thermoelectric devices.