Fourier's Law: a Challenge for Theorists

We present a first-principles study of heat conduction in a class of models which exhibit a new multi-step local thermalization mechanism which gives rise to Fourier's law. Local thermalization in our models occurs as the result of binary collisions among locally confined gas particles. We explore the conditions under which relaxation to local equilibrium, which involves no energy exchange, takes place on time scales shorter than that of the binary collisions which induce loc...

Steady-state thermal transport in nanostructures with dimensions comparable to the phonon mean-free-path is examined. Both the case of contacts at different temperatures with no internal heat generation and contacts at the same temperature with internal heat generation are considered. Fourier's Law results are compared to finite volume method solutions of the phonon Boltzmann equation in the gray approximation. When the boundary conditions are properly specified, results obta...

The onset of Fourier's law in a one-dimensional quantum system is addressed via a simple model of weakly coupled quantum systems in contact with thermal baths at their edges. Using analytical arguments we show that the crossover from the ballistic (invalid Fourier's law) to diffusive (valid Fourier's law) regimes is characterized by a thermal length-scale, which is directly related to the profile of the local temperature. In the same vein, dephasing is shown to give rise to a...

We present an exact solution of the Langevin's equation in the steady state limit in a three dimensional, harmonic crystal of slab geometry whose boundary surfaces along its length are connected to two stochastic, white noise heat baths at different temperatures. We show that the heat trasport obeys the Fourier's law in the continuum limit.

The microscopic origins of Fourier's venerable law of thermal transport in quantum electron systems has remained somewhat of a mystery, given that previous derivations were forced to invoke intrinsic scattering rates far exceeding those occurring in real systems. We propose an alternative hypothesis, namely, that Fourier's law emerges naturally if many quantum states participate in the transport of heat across the system. We test this hypothesis systematically in a graphene f...

We derive Fourier's law for a completely coherent quasi one--dimensional chaotic quantum system coupled locally to two heat baths at different temperatures. We solve the master equation to first order in the temperature difference. We show that the heat conductance can be expressed as a thermodynamic equilibrium coefficient taken at some intermediate temperature. We use that expression to show that for temperatures large compared to the mean level spacing of the system, the h...

We give a rigorous derivation of Fourier's law from a system of closure equations for a nonequilibrium stationary state of a Hamiltonian system of coupled oscillators subjected to heat baths on the boundary. The local heat flux is proportional to the temperature gradient with a temperature dependent heat conductivity and the stationary temperature exhibits a nonlinear profile.

Energy transfer in small nanosized systems can be very different from that in their macroscopic counterparts due to reduced dimensionality, interaction with surfaces, disorder, and large fluctuations. Those ingredients may induce non-diffusive heat transfer that requires to be taken into account on small scales. We provide an overview of the recent advances in this field from the points of view of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and atomistic simulations. We summarize th...

The thermal conductance of a one-dimensional classical inertial Heisenberg model of linear size $L$ is computed, considering the first and last particles in thermal contact with heat baths at higher and lower temperatures, $T_{h}$ and $T_{l}$ ($T_{h}>T_{l}$), respectively. These particles at extremities of the chain are subjected to standard Langevin dynamics, whereas all remaining rotators ($i=2, \cdots , L-1$) interact by means of nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic couplings an...

In this paper we give a brief review of the relation between microscopic dynamical properties and the Fourier law of heat conduction as well as the connection between anomalous conduction and anomalous diffusion. We then discuss the possibility to control the heat flow.