We analyze thermally induced spin and charge transport in HgTe/CdTe quantum wells on the basis of the numerical nonequilibrium Green's function technique in the linear response regime. In the topologically nontrivial regime, we find a clear signature of the gap of the edge states due to their finite overlap from opposite sample boundaries—both in the charge Seebeck and spin Nernst signal. We are able to fully understand the physical origin of the thermoelectric transport signatures of edge and bulk states based on simple analytical models. Interestingly, we derive that the spin Nernst signal is related to the spin Hall conductance by a Mott-like relation, which is exact to all orders in the temperature difference between the warm and the cold reservoirs.

• Received 10 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.165434