Persistent Directional Current at Equilibrium in Nonreciprocal Many-Body Near Field Electromagnetic Heat Transfer

Linxiao Zhu and Shanhui Fan
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 134303 – Published 23 September 2016
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Abstract

We consider the consequence of nonreciprocity in near-field heat transfer by studying systems consisting of magneto-optical nanoparticles. We demonstrate that, in thermal equilibrium, a nonreciprocal many-body system in heat transfer can support a persistent directional heat current, without violating the second law of thermodynamics. Such a persistent directional heat current cannot occur in reciprocal systems, and can only arise in many-body systems in heat transfer. The use of nonreciprocity therefore points to a new regime of near-field heat transfer for the control of heat flow in the nanoscale.

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  • Received 15 December 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.134303

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Research Areas
Nonlinear DynamicsCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Linxiao Zhu*

  • Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

Shanhui Fan

  • Department of Electrical Engineering, Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA

  • *lxzhu@stanford.edu
  • shanhui@stanford.edu

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Issue

Vol. 117, Iss. 13 — 23 September 2016

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