Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Heat Engines01:10

Heat Engines

3.7K
A heat engine is a device used to extract heat from a source and then convert it into mechanical work used for various applications. For example, a steam engine on an old-style train can produce the work needed for driving the train.
Whenever we consider heat engines (and associated devices such as refrigerators and heat pumps), we do not use the standard sign convention for heat and work. For convenience, we assume that the symbols Qh, Qc, and W represent only the amounts of heat transferred...
3.7K
Second Law of Thermodynamics02:49

Second Law of Thermodynamics

27.1K
In the quest to identify a property that may reliably predict the spontaneity of a process, a promising candidate has been identified: entropy. Processes that involve an increase in entropy of the system (ΔS > 0) are very often spontaneous; however, examples to the contrary are plentiful. By expanding consideration of entropy changes to include the surroundings, a significant conclusion regarding the relation between this property and spontaneity may be reached. In thermodynamic models, the...
27.1K
Second Law of Thermodynamics00:53

Second Law of Thermodynamics

68.6K
The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy, or the amount of disorder in a system, increases each time energy is transferred or transformed. Each energy transfer results in a certain amount of energy that is lost—usually in the form of heat—that increases the disorder of the surroundings. This can also be demonstrated in a classic food web. Herbivores harvest chemical energy from plants and release heat and carbon dioxide into the environment. Carnivores harvest the...
68.6K
Quantum Numbers02:43

Quantum Numbers

51.7K
It is said that the energy of an electron in an atom is quantized; that is, it can be equal only to certain specific values and can jump from one energy level to another but not transition smoothly or stay between these levels.
51.7K
First Law of Thermodynamics02:16

First Law of Thermodynamics

41.1K
Energy Conservation
41.1K
First Law of Thermodynamics00:37

First Law of Thermodynamics

80.8K
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. This can be demonstrated within a classic food web where light energy from the sun is harnessed as radiant energy by plants, converted into chemical energy, and stored as complex carbohydrates. The vegetation is then consumed by animals and during the digestion process, the sugars release energy as heat. The sugars also produce chemical energy that either gets used up doing work, stored in...
80.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Clocked stepping of an artificial protein walker along a DNA track.

Nature nanotechnology·2026
Same author

Radial etching of strongly confined crystal-phase defined quantum dots.

Nanotechnology·2026
Same author

Image analysis optimization for nanowire-based optical detection of molecules.

Nanophotonics (Berlin, Germany)·2025
Same author

A dephasing sweet spot with enhanced dipolar coupling.

Communications physics·2025
Same author

Single-Step Production and Self-Assembly of Magnetic Nanostructures for Magneto-Responsive Soft Films.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2025
Same author

Direct device integration of single 1D nanoparticle assemblies; a magnetization reversal and magnetotransport study.

Nanotechnology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

18.7K

A quantum-dot heat engine operating close to the thermodynamic efficiency limits.

Martin Josefsson1, Artis Svilans1, Adam M Burke1

  • 1NanoLund and Solid State Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Nature Nanotechnology
|July 18, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Particle-exchange (PE) heat engines, unlike traditional ones, use energy filtering without moving parts. This study demonstrates a quantum dot PE engine achieving over 70% of Carnot efficiency, validating theoretical predictions for solid-state devices.

More Related Videos

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
10:16

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

26.1K
Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications
10:56

Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 6, 2016

14.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
17:14

Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: October 9, 2012

18.7K
Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
10:16

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

26.1K
Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications
10:56

Synthesis of Cd-free InP/ZnS Quantum Dots Suitable for Biomedical Applications

Published on: February 6, 2016

14.6K

Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Solid-state physics
  • Quantum technologies

Background:

  • Cyclical heat engines are limited by moving parts, hindering miniaturization.
  • Particle-exchange (PE) heat engines offer a solid-state alternative for miniaturized, low-power applications.
  • Theoretical efficiency limits for PE engines remain experimentally unverified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally demonstrate a particle-exchange heat engine.
  • To measure the electronic efficiency of a quantum dot-based PE engine.
  • To verify theoretical efficiency predictions for PE heat engines.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of a PE heat engine using a quantum dot in a semiconductor nanowire.
  • Direct measurement of steady-state electric power output.
  • Calculation of electronic heat flow to determine electronic efficiency.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated a functional PE heat engine based on quantum dot technology.
  • Measured electronic efficiency at maximum power matched the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency.
  • Achieved a maximum electronic efficiency exceeding 70% of the Carnot efficiency with finite power output.

Conclusions:

  • Experimental validation of theoretical efficiency limits for PE heat engines.
  • Demonstrated the potential for near-ideal thermodynamic efficiency in solid-state thermoelectric devices.
  • Highlights relevance for hot-carrier photovoltaics, on-chip cooling, and quantum energy harvesting.