Thermal Rectification and Negative Differential Thermal Resistance in a driven two segment classical Heisenberg chain

TL;DR

This study uses computer simulations to explore how a classical Heisenberg spin chain can exhibit thermal rectification and negative differential thermal resistance, with potential applications in thermal management and device design.

Contribution

It demonstrates how tuning parameters in a driven two-segment classical Heisenberg chain induces thermal rectification and NDTR, highlighting the roles of nonlinearity and asymmetry.

Findings

Thermal rectification depends on nonlinearity and spatial asymmetry.

Negative differential thermal resistance can be achieved through parameter tuning.

The system acts as a good heat conductor in one direction and a poor one in the reverse.

Abstract

We investigate thermal transport in a two segment classical Heisenberg spin chain with nearest neighbor interaction and in presence of external magnetic field using computer simulation. The system is thermally driven by heat baths attached at the two ends and transport properties are studied using an energy conserving dynamics. We demonstrate that by properly tuning the parameters thermal rectification can be achieved - the system behaves as a good conductor of heat along one direction but becomes a bad conductor when the thermal gradient is reversed and crucially depends on nonlinearity and spatial asymmetry. Moreover, suitable tuning of the system parameters gives rise to the counterintuitive and technologically important feature known as the negative differential thermal resistance (NDTR). We find that the crucial factor responsible for the emergence of NDTR is a suitable mechanism to impede the current in the bulk of the system.