Boundary-condition and geometry engineering in electronic hydrodynamics

Abstract

We analyze the role of boundary geometry in viscous electronic hydrodynamics. We address the twin questions of how boundary geometry impacts flow profiles, and how one can engineer boundary conditions -- in particular the effective slip parameter -- to manipulate the flow in a controlled way. We first propose a micropatterned geometry involving finned barriers, for which we show by an explicit solution that one can obtain effectively no-slip boundary conditions regardless of the detailed microscopic nature of the channel surface. Next we analyse the role of mesoscopic boundary curvature on the effective slip length, in particular its impact on the Gurzhi effect. Finally we investigate a hydrodynamic flow through a circular junction, providing a solution, which suggests an experimental set-up for determining the slip parameter. We find that its transport properties differ qualitatively from the case of ballistic conduction, and thus presents a promising setting for distinguishing the two.