Normal-Metal-Superconductor Tunnel Junction as a Brownian Refrigerator
Normal-Metal-Superconductor Tunnel Junction as a Brownian Refrigerator
Thermal noise generated by a hot resistor (resistance $R$) can, under proper conditions, catalyze heat removal from a cold normal metal (N) in contact with a superconductor (S) via a tunnel barrier. Such a NIS junction acts as Maxwell's demon, rectifying the heat flow. Upon reversal of the temperature gradient …