Related papers: Reaching optimal efficiencies using nano-sized pho…
Advances in solid-state device design now allow the spectrum of transmitted electrons in thermionic and thermoelectric devices to be engineered in ways that were not previously possible. Here we show that the shape of the electron energy…
Power and efficiency of heat engines are two conflicting objectives, and a tight efficiency bound is expected to give insights on the fundamental properties of the power-efficiency tradeoff. Here we derive an upper bound on the efficiency…
We show that the maximum work that can be obtained from the thermal radiation emitted between two planar sources in the near-field regime is much larger than that corresponding to the blackbody limit. This quantity as well as an upper bound…
Advanced nanophotonics penetrates into other areas of science and technology, ranging from applied physics to biology and resulting in many fascinating cross-disciplinary applications. It has been recently demonstrated that suitably…
A huge amount of thermal energy is available close to material surfaces in radiative and non-radiative states, which can be useful for matter characterization or for energy devices. One way to harness this near-field energy is to scatter it…
Improving the conversion efficiency of solar energy to electricity is most important to mankind. For single-junction photovoltaic solar-cells, the Shockley-Queisser thermodynamic efficiency limit is extensively due to the heat dissipation,…
Experimental and theoretical studies of colloidal nanoparticles have primarily focused on accurate characterization and simulation of observable characteristics, such as resonant wavelength. In this Letter, we tackle the optimal design of…
Solid-state heat-to-electrical power converters are thermodynamic engines that use fundamental particles, such as electrons or photons, as working fluids. Virtually all commercially available devices are thermoelectric generators, in which…
We derive a unified quantum theory of coherent and incoherent energy transfer between two atoms (donor and acceptor) valid in arbitrary Markovian nanophotonic environments. Our theory predicts a fundamental bound $\eta_{max} =…
Photovoltaic energy conversion in photovoltaic cells has been analyzed by the detailed balance approach or by thermodynamic arguments. Here we introduce a network representation to analyze the performance of such systems once a suitable…
We consider nano-sized artificial or biological machines working in steady state enforced by imposing non-equilibrium concentrations of solutes or by applying external forces, torques or electric fields. For unicyclic and strongly coupled…
The Carnot engine sets an upper limit to the efficiency of a practical heat engine. An arbitrary irreversible engine is sometimes believed to behave closely as the Curzon-Ahlborn engine. Efficiency of the latter is obtained commonly by…
An on-going challenge within scalable optical quantum information processing is to increase the collection efficiency $\varepsilon$ and the photon indistinguishability $\eta$ of the single-photon source towards unity. Within quantum…
Theoretical bounds are commonly used to assess the limitations of photonic design. Here we introduce a more active way to use theoretical bounds, integrating them into part of the design process and identifying optimal system parameters…
We derive the efficiency at maximal power of a scale-invariant (critical) quantum junction in exact form. Both Fermi and Bose statistics are considered. We show that time-reversal invariance is spontaneously broken. For fermions we…
High emission rate, high collection efficiency, and immunity to the defects are the requirements of implementing on-chip single photon sources. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that both cascade enhancement and high collection efficiency…
In this thesis, we propose to tackle this important issue by designing and realizing a novel nano-optical device based on the use of a photonic crystal (PC) structure to generate an efficient coupling between the external source and a NA.…
The maximum efficiency for photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems without concentration is investigated. Both a combined system where the TEG is mounted directly on the back of the PV and a tandem system where the…
The efficiency of photo-conductive switches, which continue to be used for the generation and detection of THz waves, has been overlooked for a long time. The so far 'optics-dominated' devices are making their way through to new and…
The efficiencies of photonic devices are primarily governed by radiative quantum efficiency, which is a property given by the light emitting material. Quantitative characterization for carbon nanotubes, however, has been difficult despite…