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Updated: May 8, 2026
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Using Microwave and Macroscopic Samples of Dielectric Solids to Study the Photonic Properties of Disordered Photonic Bandgap Materials
Published on: September 26, 2014
Out-of-equilibrium one-dimensional disordered dipole chain.
Anton V Dolgikh1, Daniel S Kosov
1Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Plaine, CP231, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium.
Summary
Disorder in a chain of dipole moments induces a transition from heat conducting to insulating states. This system exhibits tunable heat transport, supporting ballistic or diffusive flow based on disorder strength.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Statistical mechanics
- Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
Background:
- Investigating heat transport in low-dimensional systems is crucial for understanding thermal properties.
- Non-equilibrium steady states offer unique insights into system dynamics and emergent phenomena.
- Disorder is known to significantly alter transport properties, potentially leading to localization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an analytically solvable model for heat transport in a one-dimensional chain of dipoles under non-equilibrium conditions.
- To investigate the impact of disorder on the thermal conductivity and transport regimes.
- To explore the emergence of long-range order and correlations in driven systems.
Main Methods:
- Analytical modeling of a chain of one-dimensional dipole moments connected to two thermal baths.
- Introduction of disorder by randomizing dipole positions.
- Analysis of heat flow in a non-equilibrium steady state with small dipole moment fluctuations.
Main Results:
- Disorder induces an Anderson-like transition from a conducting to a thermal insulating state.
- The chain supports both ballistic and diffusive heat transport, dependent on disorder strength.
- Non-equilibrium conditions promote the emergence of long-range order among dipoles.
Conclusions:
- Disorder plays a critical role in determining the thermal transport characteristics of the dipole chain.
- The interplay between non-equilibrium conditions and interactions may lead to long-range correlations in low-dimensional classical systems.
- The developed model provides a framework for studying complex thermal phenomena in disordered, driven systems.
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