Non-Linear Thermovoltage in a Single-Electron Transistor

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Erdman, Paolo A, Peltonen, Joonas T, Bhandari, Bibek, Dutta, Bivas, Courtois, Hervé, Fazio, Rosario, Taddei, Fabio, Pekola, Jukka P
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 16.12.2018
• Subjects: Parameters; Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Single-electron transistors; Temperature gradients; Thermometers; Transistors
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1812.06514

We perform direct thermovoltage measurements in a single-electron transistor, using on-chip local thermometers, both in the linear and non-linear regimes. Using a model which accounts for co-tunneling, we find excellent agreement with the experimental data with no free parameters even when the temperature difference is larger than the average temperature (far-from-linear regime). This allows us to confirm the sensitivity of the thermovoltage on co-tunneling and to find that in the non-linear regime the temperature of the metallic island is a crucial parameter. Surprisingly, the metallic island tends to overheat even at zero net charge current, resulting in a reduction of the thermovoltage.