| Project Detail |
Electronic devices operating at the quantum limit have recently emerged following the vast miniaturization efforts of the electronics industry. Scientific developments of the past few years demonstrate that we are on the verge of a quantum computing revolution. In contrast, similar advances towards achieving quantum machines are still in their infancy despite the potential for novel functionalities and power saving operation. In the last two decades, single molecule junctions have become a versatile testbed for fundamental studies of electronic transport at the atomic scale. In the proposed work, we intend to use single-molecule junctions as quantum machines.
We will use our expertise in fabricating, analysing, and controlling the structure and functionality of molecular junctions (e.g., Phys. Rev. Lett. (2014), Nat. Mater. (2016), Nature (2018)) to demonstrate and reveal the properties of quantum machines at the ultimate limit of miniaturization. For example, we aim to demonstrate heat pumping by electron-vibration interaction, work to heat conversion in atomic chains, magnetic control of thermopower in chiral molecular junctions, a thermopower diode, and a motor based on a single molecule Archimedean screw.
From the mechanistic point of view, we intent to reveal the unknown to date properties of electron-vibration interaction under temperature gradients, work to heat conversion in atomic and molecular structures, several unexplored phenomena related to heat to electric power conversion, and the effect of current induced force on single molecule motors. This work can open a new pathway for experimental quantum thermodynamics, revealing the working principles of atomic-scale electro-mechanical systems, motors, heat pumps and heat converters. |
