Resonant photon tunneling enhancement of the radiative heat transfer

TL;DR

This paper investigates how resonant photon tunneling via surface plasmons or adsorbate vibrational modes can significantly enhance radiative heat transfer between solids at short distances, with analysis of dielectric properties and electron concentration effects.

Contribution

It demonstrates the dramatic increase in heat transfer due to resonant photon tunneling and compares local and non-local dielectric models for metal surfaces.

Findings

Heat transfer can increase by many orders of magnitude with surface adsorbates or low-frequency surface plasmons.

Resonant photon tunneling is the key mechanism for heat transfer enhancement.

Comparison of local and non-local dielectric models reveals differences in heat flux predictions.

Abstract

We study the dependence of the heat transfer between two semi-infinite solids on the dielectric properties of the bodies. We show that the heat transfer at short separation between the solids may increase by many order of magnitude when the surfaces are covered by adsorbates, or can support low-frequency surface plasmons. In this case the heat transfer is determined by resonant photon tunneling between adsorbate vibrational modes, or surface plasmon modes. We study the dependence of the heat flux between two metal surfaces on the electron concentration using the non-local optic dielectric approach, and co mpare with the results obtained within local optic approximation.