We study heat transfer between conductors, mediated by the excitation of a monomodal harmonic oscillator. Using a simple model, we show that the onset of rectification in the system is directly related to the nonlinearity of the electron gas dispersion relation. When the metals have a strictly linear dispersion relation, a Landauer-type expression for the thermal current holds, symmetric with respect to the temperature difference. Rectification becomes prominent when deviations from linear dispersion exist, and the fermionic model cannot be mapped into a harmonic bosonized representation. The effects described here are relevant for understanding radiative heat transfer and vibrational energy flow in electrically insulating molecular junctions.

• Received 9 November 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.105901