Systems with a constant heat flux with applications to radiative heat transport across nanoscale gaps and layers (Q721325)

Classical thermodynamics is not free from controversy. For example, it is supposed that heat transfers from a hot body to a cold one take place without occurrence of heat fluxes inside the bodies. Based on the idea of local thermodynamic equilibrium, this hypothesis does not cause large errors while macroscopic bodies are taken into account. But to study processes on the microlevel, one should use a more exact theory. The authors examine systems with constant heat flux and generalize the notion of entropy S for this case. A statistical point of view and the maximum entropy principle are used. As an example, the entropy of thermal radiation with constant heat flux is studied. Planck's and Maxwell-Boltzmann's laws, that initially were derived for systems in equilibrium, are generalized for this case. Finally, using these two generalized distributions, the authors examine the radiation in two half-spaces with different temperatures, separated by a vacuum.