Thermoelectric Transport through a Quantum Dot Coupled to a Normal Metal and BCS Superconductor

M. Krawiec Institute of Physics, M. Curie-Skłodowska University, pl. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland

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Received: 6 11 2007;

We discuss thermoelectric properties of a quantum dot coupled to one normal and one superconducting lead in the presence of the Kondo effect and the Andreev scattering. We will focus on conductance, thermal conductance, thermopower and related quantities like thermoelectric figure of merit which is a direct measure of the usefulness of the system for applications and the Wiedemann-Franz ratio which indicates if the system is in the Fermi liquid state. We will show that the superconductivity strongly modifies the thermal properties of the system. In particular, the thermopower is strongly enhanced near the superconducting transition temperature. Moreover, the Andreev reflections are suppressed due to strong on-dot Coulomb repulsion. The suppression of the Andreev reflections leads to a violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law and to a non-Fermi liquid ground state.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.114.115 PACS numbers: 73.63.Kv, 73.23.-b, 73.50.Lw, 72.15.Qm, 74.45.+c