Nanoscale radiative thermal switching via multi-body effects

Area of Science:

• Nanoscale science and engineering
• Thermal transport phenomena
• Optics and photonics

Background:

• Controlling thermal transport at the nanoscale is crucial for developing advanced thermal logic and energy conversion devices.
• Radiative heat transfer between nanostructures can exceed the blackbody limit, offering potential for novel applications.
• Existing methods for modulating nanoscale heat transfer are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the modulation of radiative heat transfer between two coplanar silicon nitride (SiN) membranes.
• To explore the effect of a third object on radiative heat transfer in nanogaps.
• To demonstrate a method for active control of heat currents at the nanoscale.

Main Methods:

• Utilized numerical modeling to simulate radiative heat transfer between SiN membranes.
• Investigated the influence of a third planar object positioned near the membranes.
• Analyzed the role of guided modes and evanescent interactions in heat transfer modulation.

Main Results:

• Radiative heat transfer between two SiN membranes was modulated by a factor of five by introducing a third object.
• The modulation effect was attributed to the modification of guided modes in the SiN membranes.
• Evanescent interactions between the third object and the membranes were identified as the key mechanism.

Conclusions:

• A multi-body effect involving a third object can significantly control radiative heat transfer between nanoscale components.
• This approach offers an efficient pathway for active control of heat currents at the nanoscale.
• The findings pave the way for novel nanoscale thermal management and energy conversion devices.