Measurements of the thermal properties of nanoscale electron systems have ignored the effect of electrical noise radiated between the electron gas and the environment, through the electrical leads. Here we calculate the effect of this photon-mediated process, and show that the low-temperature thermal conductance is equal to the quantum of thermal conductance, $G_Q={\pi }^2{k}_B^{2}T/3h$, times a coupling coefficient. We find that, at very low temperatures, the photon conductance is the dominant route for thermal equilibration, while at moderate temperatures this relaxation mode adds one quantum of thermal conductance to that due to phonon transport.

• Received 28 August 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.045901