Thermal rectification and negative differential thermal resistance in lattices with mass gradient

TL;DR

This paper investigates how mass gradients in 1D lattices influence thermal transport, revealing phenomena like thermal rectification and negative differential thermal resistance, with potential applications in thermal devices.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of thermal rectification and negative differential thermal resistance in graded 1D lattices, highlighting new mechanisms for thermal control.

Findings

Temperature gradient in harmonic lattices due to gradons

Asymmetric heat flow in anharmonic lattices with mass gradient

Observation of negative differential thermal resistance

Abstract

We study thermal properties of one dimensional(1D) harmonic and anharmonic lattices with mass gradient. It is found that the temperature gradient can be built up in the 1D harmonic lattice with mass gradient due to the existence of gradons. The heat flow is asymmetric in the anharmonic lattices with mass gradient. Moreover, in a certain temperature region the {\it negative differential thermal resistance} is observed. Possible applications in constructing thermal rectifier and thermal transistor by using the graded material are discussed.