Energy transport between heat baths with oscillating temperatures

TL;DR

This paper explores how oscillating temperature gradients can enhance and control energy transport at the nanoscale, revealing complex hysteresis effects and potential applications in molecular and nanosystems.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical analysis using a stochastic Langevin model to derive analytical expressions for energy flux under oscillating temperature conditions.

Findings

Oscillating temperature differences induce complex hysteresis in energy flux.

Time-periodic temperature modulations can enhance energy transport.

Results suggest new methods for controlling energy in nanosystems.

Abstract

Energy transport is a fundamental physical process that plays a prominent role in the function and performance of myriad systems and technologies. Recent experimental measurements have shown that subjecting a macroscale system to a time-periodic temperature gradient can increase thermal conductivity in comparison to a static temperature gradient. Here, we theoretically examine this mechanism in a nanoscale model by applying a stochastic Langevin framework to describe the energy transport properties of a particle connecting two heat baths with different temperatures, where the temperature difference between baths is oscillating in time. Analytical expressions for the energy flux of each heat bath and for the system itself are derived for the case of a free particle and a particle in a harmonic potential. We find that dynamical effects in the energy flux induced by temperature oscillations give rise to complex energy transport hysteresis effects. The presented results suggest that applying time-periodic temperature modulations is a potential route to control energy storage and release in molecular devices and nanosystems.