Finite thermal conductivity in 1D models having zero Lyapunov exponents

Heat conduction in three types of 1D channels are studied. The channels consist of two parallel walls, right triangles as scattering obstacles, and noninteracting particles. The triangles are placed along the walls in three different ways: (a) periodic, (b) disordered in height, and (c) disordered in position. The Lyapunov exponents in all three models are zero because of the flatness of triangle sides. It is found numerically that the temperature gradient can be formed in all three channels, but the Fourier heat law is observed only in two disordered ones. The results show that there might be no direct connection between chaos (in the sense of positive Lyapunov exponent) and the normal thermal conduction.Comment: 4 PRL page

Can disorder induce a finite thermal conductivity in 1D lattices?

We study heat conduction in one dimensional mass disordered harmonic and anharmonic lattices. It is found that the thermal conductivity $\kappa$ of the disordered anharmonic lattice is finite at low temperature, whereas it diverges as $\kappa \sim N^{0.43}$ at high temperature. Moreover, we demonstrate that a unique nonequilibrium stationary state in the disordered harmonic lattice does not exist at all.Comment: 4 pages with 4 eps figure