Thermo-electric properties of quantum point contacts

Abstract

The conductance, the thermal conductance, the thermopower and the Peltier coefficient of a quantum point contact all exhibit quantum size effects. The authors review and extend the theory of these effects. In addition, they review their experimental work on the quantum oscillations in the thermopower, observed using a current heating technique. New data are presented showing evidence for quantum steps in the thermal conductance, and (less unequivocally) for quantum oscillations in the Peltier coefficient. For these new experiments the authors have used a quantum point contact as a miniature thermometer.