Dynamic Tuning of Near-Field Radiative Thermal Rectification

Taking advantage of phase-transition and reconfigurable metamaterials, dynamic control of nanoscale thermal modulation can be achieved through the near-field radiative thermal rectification devices. Herein, an active-tuning near-field thermal rectifier using reconfigurable phase-transition metamaterials is explored. The rectifier has two terminals separated by vacuum, working under a controllable operational temperature around the critical temperature of the phase-transition material VO2. One of the terminals is a stretchable structure made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thin film and grating consisting of various types of phase-transition material. The effects of various inclusion forms and all the related geometric parameters are well analyzed. The controllable nanoscale thermal modulation can be achieved and the ultrahigh rectification ratios of 23.7 and 19.8, the highest values ever predicted, can be obtained for two deformation scenarios, respectively. It will shed light on the dynamic tuning of small-scale thermal transport and light manipulation.