Reflectors Tune Near-Field Thermal Transport

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how tuning reflector positions in multilayer nanostructures can dynamically control near-field thermal radiation, enabling significant modulation of heat flux for advanced thermal management.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for manipulating near-field heat transfer through cavity interactions and reflector tuning, with broad control over thermal flux.

Findings

Thermal flux can be significantly suppressed or enhanced by reflector tuning.

Adjusting inter-slab gaps allows multi-order control of thermal transport.

Compact slab arrangements maximize the modulation effects.

Abstract

We explore near-field thermal radiation transport in nanoparticles embedded within a multilayer slab structure, focusing on dynamic modulation of heat flux via cavity interactions. Our findings reveal that by tuning the distance between reflectors and nanoparticles, thermal transport can be significantly suppressed or enhanced, driven by selective excitation of surface modes within the cavity. By precisely adjusting inter-slab gaps, we achieve multi-order control over thermal flux while maintaining stability across a broad range of configurations. Notably, internal slab arrangement plays a pivotal role, with compact designs yielding the most pronounced effects. This work unveils a novel mechanism for manipulating near-field heat transfer, with exciting potential for nanoscale thermal management and thermal sensing technologies.