40 research outputs found
Temperature relaxation and the Kapitza boundary resistance paradox
The calculation of the Kapitza boundary resistance between dissimilar
harmonic solids has since long (Little [Can. J. Phys. 37, 334 (1959)]) suffered
from a paradox: this resistance erroneously tends to a finite value in the
limit of identical solids. We resolve this paradox by calculating temperature
differences in the final heat-transporting state, rather than with respect to
the initial state of local equilibrium. For a one-dimensional model we thus
derive an exact, paradox-free formula for the boundary resistance. The analogy
to ballistic electron transport is explained.Comment: 10 p., REVTeX 3.0 with LaTeX 2.09, ITFA-94-2