Heat Conduction and Long-Range Spatial Correlation in 1D Models

TL;DR

This paper investigates heat conduction in 1D systems, revealing that spatial correlations of particle motions influence thermal transport, and shows how scatterer randomization restores normal conduction, supported by analytical and simulation results.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical S-matrix method to connect heat conduction with particle motion correlations in 1D systems, supported by molecular dynamics simulations.

Findings

Correlation of particle motions affects heat conduction.

Randomization of scatterers restores normal conduction.

MD simulations agree with theoretical predictions.

Abstract

Heat conduction in one-dimensional (1D) systems is studied based on an analytical S-matrix method, which is developed in the mesoscopic electronic transport theory and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. It is found that heat conduction in these systems is related to spatial correlation of particle motions. Randomizations of scatterers is found to break the correlation, hence results in normal thermal conduction. Our MD simulations are in agreement with the theoretical expectations. The results are useful for an understanding of the relation between heat conduction and dynamic instablities or other random behavior in 1D systems.