Thermal Transport in Phononic Cayley Tree Networks

Abstract

We analytically investigate the heat current $I$ and its thermal fluctuations $\Delta$ in a branching network without loops (Cayley tree). The network consists of two type of harmonic masses: vertex masses $M$ placed at the branching points where phononic scattering occurs and masses $m$ at the bonds between branching points where phonon propagation take place. The network is coupled to thermal reservoirs consisting of one-dimensional harmonic chains of coupled masses $m$. Due to impedance missmatching phenomena, both ${\cal I}$ and $\Delta$, are non-monotonic functions of the mass ratio $\mu=M/m$. In particular, there are cases where they are strictly zero below some critical value $\mu^*$.