Thermal dynamics and electronic temperature waves in layered correlated materials

Understanding the mechanism of heat transfer in nanoscale devices remains one of the greatest intellectual challenges in the field of thermal dynamics, by far the most relevant under an applicative standpoint. When thermal dynamics is confined to the nanoscale, the characteristic timescales become ultrafast, engendering the failure of the common description of energy propagation and paving the way to unconventional phenomena such as wave-like temperature propagation. Here, we explore layered strongly correlated materials as a platform to identify and control unconventional electronic heat transfer phenomena. We demonstrate that these systems can be tailored to sustain a wide spectrum of electronic heat transport regimes, ranging from ballistic, to hydrodynamic all the way to diffusive. Within the hydrodynamic regime, wave-like temperature oscillations are predicted up to room temperature. The interaction strength can be exploited as a knob to control the dynamics of temperature waves as well as the onset of different thermal transport regimes. Quantum correlated materials offer a promising platform for the study of unconventional heat transport. Here the authors theoretically investigate heat transport in a layered correlated material, triggered by an ultrafast excitation, and predict various transport regimes controlled by correlations.

Automated summary

This study explores unconventional electronic heat transfer phenomena in layered strongly correlated materials, demonstrating the ability of these systems to sustain a wide spectrum of electronic heat transport regimes, ranging from ballistic to hydrodynamic to diffusive. The interaction strength can be controlled to manipulate the dynamics of temperature waves and the onset of different thermal transport regimes. Quantum correlated materials offer a promising platform for the study of unconventional heat transfer.