Proposal of a Realistic Stochastic Rotor Engine Based on Electron Shuttling

© 2019 American Physical Society. We propose and analyze an autonomous engine that combines ideas from electronic transport and self-oscillating heat engines. It is based on the electron-shuttling mechanism in conjunction with a rotational degree of freedom. We focus in particular on the isothermal regime, where chemical work is converted into mechanical work or vice versa, and we especially pay attention to using parameters estimated from experimental data of available single components. Our analysis shows that, for these parameters, the engine already works with remarkable stability, albeit with moderate efficiency. Moreover, it has the advantage that it can be upscaled to increase power and reduce fluctuations further.