Thermal rectification induced by geometrical asymmetry: A two-dimensional multiparticle Lorentz gas model

Area of Science:

• Condensed matter physics
• Statistical mechanics
• Computational physics

Background:

• Fourier's law describes normal thermal transport.
• Lorentz gas models are used to study transport phenomena.
• Understanding thermal transport in low-dimensional systems is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate a two-dimensional (2D) multiparticle Lorentz gas model.
• To confirm normal thermal transport and identify thermal rectification effects.
• To explore the relationship between geometric parameters and thermal rectification.

Main Methods:

• Combining the direct simulation Monte Carlo method with the Lorentz gas model.
• Implementing an asymmetrical trapezoidal shape for thermal transport analysis.
• Conducting numerical simulations to verify findings.

Main Results:

• Confirmed length-independent thermal conductivity, consistent with Fourier's law.
• Observed a thermal rectification effect attributed to the geometric asymmetry of the trapezoidal setup.
• Identified a scaling behavior between the rectification ratio and the trapezoidal shape's geometrical parameters.

Conclusions:

• The proposed 2D multiparticle Lorentz gas model effectively simulates thermal transport phenomena.
• Geometric asymmetry in a trapezoidal shape can induce a purely geometric thermal rectification effect.
• The discovered scaling law provides a predictive tool for thermal rectification in such systems.