A Single-Molecule Quantum Heat Engine
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
2025-08-26 v1
Abstract
Particle-exchange heat engines operate without moving parts or time-dependent driving, relying solely on static energy-selective transport. Here, we realize a particle-exchange quantum heat engine based on a single diradical molecule, only a few nanometers in size. We experimentally investigate its operation at low temperatures and demonstrate that both the power output and efficiency are significantly enhanced by Kondo correlations, reaching up to 53 % of the Curzon-Ahlborn limit. These results establish molecular-scale particle-exchange engines as promising candidates for low-temperature applications where extreme miniaturization and energy efficiency are paramount.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2508.17036,
title = {A Single-Molecule Quantum Heat Engine},
author = {Serhii Volosheniuk and Riccardo Conte and Eugenia Pyurbeeva and Thomas Baum and Manuel Vilas-Varela and Saleta Fernández and Diego Peña and Herre S. J. van der Zant and Pascal Gehring},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.17036},
year = {2025}
}