Thermalization in open classical systems with finite heat baths
arXiv:0810.3251 · doi:10.1140/epjb/e2008-00070-8
Abstract
We discuss thermalization of a test particle schematized as a harmonic oscillator and coupled to a Boltzmann heat bath of finite size and with a finite bandwidth for the frequencies of its particles. We find that complete thermalization only occurs when the test particle frequency is within a certain range of the bath particle frequencies, and for a certain range of mass ratios between the test particle and the bath particles. These results have implications for the study of classical and quantum behaviour of high-frequency nanomechanical resonators.
5 pages, 4 figures