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Non-equilibrium Green's function formalism for radiative heat transfer.

Yahan Liu1, Tao Zhu2

  • 1School of Physical Science and Technology, Tiangong University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.

Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal
|November 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary

The non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism enables accurate nanoscale radiative heat transfer (RHT) calculations beyond classical limits. This quantum approach unifies heat transport and allows for novel thermal management and energy conversion applications.

Keywords:
Non-equilibrium green’s functionQuantum transportradiative heat transfer

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Quantum Mechanics

Background:

  • Nanoscale radiative heat transfer (RHT) traditionally uses fluctuational electrodynamics (FE), which is limited to local thermal equilibrium.
  • Active devices and driven materials present non-equilibrium conditions where FE breaks down.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Introduce the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism for studying RHT beyond classical limits.
  • Demonstrate NEGF's ability to unify various energy transport mechanisms.
  • Highlight NEGF's potential for quantum design and active control of thermal energy.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical framework based on quantum many-body theory.
  • Application of NEGF to describe energy transport by photons, electrons, and phonons.
  • Comparison of NEGF results with FE in the local equilibrium limit.

Main Results:

  • NEGF provides quantum-accurate equilibrium RHT, incorporating non-local and finite-size effects.
  • Revealed synergistic heat transfer across sub-nanometer gaps involving radiation, electron tunneling, and phonon conduction.
  • Enabled quantum design of materials for tailored thermal properties.
  • Described active control of heat flow in driven systems, including isothermal transfer and heat pumping.

Conclusions:

  • NEGF formalism offers a versatile framework for nanoscale RHT under non-equilibrium conditions.
  • NEGF facilitates the quantum design of materials and metamaterials for advanced thermal applications.
  • This approach opens new frontiers in thermal management, energy conversion, and thermal information processing.