Statistics of heat exchange between two resistors

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the statistical properties of heat exchange between two resistors connected via a linear, lossless circuit, revealing how photon scattering influences energy transfer fluctuations in quantum and classical regimes.

Contribution

It introduces a general framework linking circuit parameters to photon scattering and energy transfer fluctuations, applicable in non-equilibrium and quantum regimes.

Findings

Energy transfer fluctuations depend on photon scattering at an effective barrier.

The transmission probability () is expressed in terms of circuit parameters.

Results are valid for both quantum and classical regimes.

Abstract

We study energy flow between two resistors coupled by an arbitrary linear and lossless electric circuit. We show that the fluctuations of energy transferred between the resistors are determined by random scattering of photons on an effective barrier with frequency dependent transmission probability $\tau(\omega)$. We express the latter in terms of the circuit parameters. Our results are valid in both quantum and classical regimes and for non-equilibrium electron distribution functions in the resistors.