Contactless heat flux control with photonic devices

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in controlling heat flux using photonic devices, marking a significant development in thermal management technology analogous to electronic diodes and transistors.

Contribution

It summarizes the latest progress in photonic-based thermal energy control, highlighting the transition from phononic to photon-based heat flux manipulation since 2000.

Findings

Development of devices controlling photon-mediated heat flux

Introduction of photonic thermal diodes and transistors

Enhanced thermal management using photonic devices

Abstract

The ability to control electric currents in solids using diodes and transistors is undoubtedly at the origin of the main developments in modern electronics which have revolutionized the daily life in the second half of 20th century. Surprisingly, until the year 2000 no thermal counterpart for such a control had been proposed. Since then, based on pioneering works on the control of phononic heat currents new devices were proposed which allow for the control of heat fluxes carried by photons rather than phonons or electrons. The goal of the present paper is to summarize the main advances achieved recently in the field of thermal energy control with photons.