Anomalous thermoelectric properties in double quantum dots coupled with Majorana bound states

We discuss the transport properties of thermal electrons in double quantum dots that are coupled with Majorana bound states (MBSs) corresponding to two model systems with T-type structure and series connection structure. It has been found that the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT in these model systems is suppressed when we consider the effects of the Majorana bound states. Here, ZT=GS2Tκ, where G is the electric conductance, S is the thermopower, T is the temperature and κ is the thermal conductance. The sign of the thermopower S changes from negative to positive when the energy levels of the quantum dots are less than μ while the sign of the thermopower S changes from positive to negative when the energy levels of the quantum dots are above μ in the model system of T-type structure, where μ is the chemical potential. As a result, the figure of merit ZT first decreases and then increases as the temperature kBT increases. This behavior is different from what is seen in the general quantum dot structure without MBSs. It is interesting to show that in the series connection structure, the thermopower S and ZT are robustness and do not vary with changes in εM when |εd|<λ, even if κ changes with εM.