Nonlinear Seebeck and Peltier effects in a Majorana nanowire coupled to leads

Abstract

Abstract We theoretically study nonlinear thermoelectric transport through a topological superconductor nanowire hosting Majorana bound states (MBSs) at its two ends, a system named as Majorana nanowire (MNW). We consider that the MNW is coupled to the left and right normal metallic leads subjected to either bias voltage or temperature gradient. We focus our attention on the sign change of nonlinear Seebeck and Peltier coefficients induced by mechanisms related to the MBSs, by which the possible existence of MBSs might be proved. Our results show that for a fixed temperature difference between the two leads, the sign of the nonlinear Seebeck coefficient (thermopower) can be reversed by changing the overlap amplitude between the MBSs or the system equilibrium temperature, which are similar to the cases in linear response regime. By optimizing the MBS–MBS interaction amplitude and system equilibrium temperature, we find that the temperature difference may also induce sign change of the nonlinear thermopower. For zero temperature difference and finite bias voltage, both the sign and magnitude of nonlinear Peltier coefficient can be adjusted by changing the bias voltage or overlap amplitude between the MBSs. In the presence of both bias voltage and temperature difference, we show that the electrical current at zero Fermi level and the states induced by overlap between the MBSs keep unchanged, regardless of the amplitude of temperature difference. We also find that the direction of the heat current driven by bias voltage may be changed by weak temperature difference.