RT Journal Article
T1 On the physical foundations of topological thermoelectricity and its improvement
A1 Baldomir Fernández, Daniel
A1 Failde, Daniel
K1 Thermoelectricity
K1 Topological materials
AB Thermoelectricity has extraordinary scientific and technological interest due to its ability to utilize heat losses through the Seebeck effect and Peltier cooling in circuits. However, the efficiency of thermoelectric materials remains relatively low, making them economically viable in fewer cases than desired. A promising possibility lies in the best thermoelectric materials at room temperature, specifically the well-known tetradymite-type structures, primarily compounds based on . These materials are characterized as topological insulators, allowing for the introduction of new physical perspectives. Therefore, it is reasonable to closely investigate the interplay between topology and thermoelectricity in these systems, with the aim of elucidating the underlying physical mechanisms. We show that, near the surface–bulk interface, the electrodynamics of axions coupled to massless fermions, Thouless pump currents, the chiral anomaly, and topological mass are intimately interconnected in a way that enables the mutual conversion of heat and electrical energy. That gives rise to a thermoelectric effect whose efficiency can be enhanced by integer multiples. We extend this study to heterostructures of topological insulators and topological superconductors. These phases are topologically complementary and may use the proximity effect to share topological quantum numbers. This offers a pathway to enhance topological thermoelectricity.
PB Elsevier
SN 0370-1573
YR 2026
FD 2026-01-22
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46966
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46966
LA eng
NO Baldomir, D., & Failde, D. (2026). On the physical foundations of topological thermoelectricity and its improvement. Physics Reports, 1154, 1–48. 10.1016/j.physrep.2025.10.004
NO D.B was supported by the project PID2022-138883NB-I00 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and by the European Union project MiniStor (H2020 GA No 869821). D.F was supported by MICIN through the European Union NextGenerationEU recovery plan (PRTR-C17.I1), and by the Galician Regional Government through the “Planes Complementarios de I+D+I con las Comunidades Autónomas” in Quantum Communication.
DS Minerva
RD 24 may 2026