Dynamics of heat transfer between nano systems

TL;DR

This paper presents a quantum dynamical model for heat transfer between nano systems, specifically nanoparticles, revealing transient behaviors and steady-state properties, including predicted Rabi oscillations for strongly coupled particles.

Contribution

It introduces a coupled quantum oscillator model with a master equation approach to describe transient and steady-state heat transfer between nanoparticles.

Findings

Predicted Rabi oscillations in surface plasmon occupation numbers for strongly coupled nanoparticles.

Established connection between dynamical evolution and steady-state heat transfer theory.

Developed a master equation framework relating damping rates to plasmon lifetimes.

Abstract

We develop a dynamical theory of heat transfer between two nano systems. In particular, we consider the resonant heat transfer between two nanoparticles due to the coupling of localized surface modes having a finite spectral width. We model the coupled nanosystem by two coupled quantum mechanical oscillators, each interacting with its own heat bath, and obtain a master equation for the dynamics of heat transfer. The damping rates in the master equation are related to the lifetimes of localized plasmons in the nanoparticles. We study the dynamics towards the steady state and establish connection with the standard theory of heat transfer in steady state. For strongly coupled nano particles we predict Rabi oscillations in the mean occupation number of surface plasmons in each nano particle.