Effect of external potential on the energy transport in harmonically driven segmented Frenkel-Kontorova lattices

TL;DR

This study investigates how the period of onsite potential influences thermal resonance and heat flux control in a driven segmented Frenkel-Kontorova lattice system, revealing structural asymmetry effects on heat transfer.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of onsite potential period asymmetry on thermal resonance and heat flux control in a driven Frenkel-Kontorova lattice system, a novel insight for thermal device design.

Findings

Maximum resonance occurs at the lowest potential period when both sides are equal.

Asymmetric lattices maximize heat flux toward the cold reservoir.

Asymmetric onsite potential periods provide additional control over heat fluxes.

Abstract

Thermal resonance, that is, the heat flux obtained by means of a periodic external driving, offers the possibility of controlling heat flux in nanoscale devices suitable for power generation, cooling, and thermoelectrics among others. In this work we study the effect of the onsite potential period on the thermal resonance phenomenon present in a one-dimensional system composed of two dissimilar Frenkel-Kontorova lattices connected by a time-modulated coupling and in contact with two heat reservoirs operating at different temperature by means of molecular dynamics simulations. When the periods of the onsite potential on both sides of the system are equal the maximum resonance is obtained for the lowest considered value of the period. For highly structurally asymmetric lattices the heat flux toward the cold reservoir is maximized, and asymmetric periods of the onsite potential afford an extra way to control the magnitude of the heat fluxes in each side of the system. Our results highlight the importance of the substrate structure on thermal resonance and could inspire further developments in designing thermal devices.