Brownian thermal control device

Abstract

Here, we design a Brownian thermal control device with microscale, which consists of two compartments modeled by two spatially periodic potentials, respectively. Through calculating its thermal current, it is found that the device can play roles of both thermal diode and thermal on–off, depending on its symmetry and amplitudes and spatial frequencies of the periodic potentials. In the case of optimal amplitudes and spatial frequencies, a negative differential thermal resistance effect also appears in the system, by means of which a Brownian thermal transistor can be developed. These findings have an important significance for understanding operating mechanisms through which some nano-scale machines and organisms usually work under environments of constant temperatures.