Quantum migration and its local heat impact: Understanding local heat capacity of confined systems
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: For noninteracting particles confined in a constant volume, the temperature derivative of the local energy assumes negative values in thermodynamic equilibrium at low temperatures. This peculiar behavior may entail the misleading unphysical conclusion that the local heat capacity is negative. However, we show that temperature-dependent density variations of confined particles induce an energy selective particle transport within the domain, here called temperature-induced quantum migration. This macroscopic quantum phenomenon causes a redistribution of local heat and ensures a non-negative local heat capacity. Moreover, it induces local heating and cooling effects and a massive overshoot in local heat capacity. The quantum migration also builds up the thermal part of confinement energy, manifesting in an excess global heat capacity. Analyzing the local energy fluctuations shows that the linear relationship between heat capacity and fluctuations is broken at the local scale.
Source: Physical review. E
Authors: Altug Sisman, Jonas Fransson
Institution: Uppsala University
Language: English
Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4402269831