Surface Bloch waves mediated heat transfer between two photonic crystals

Philippe Ben-Abdallah (1) , Karl Joulain (2) , Andrey Pryamikov (2)

1 LTN - Laboratoire de thermocinétique [Nantes]
2 PPrime [Poitiers] - Institut Pprime [UPR 3346]

We theoretically investigate the non-radiative heat transfer between two photonic crystals separated by a small gap in non-equilibrium thermal situation. We predict that the surface Bloch states coupling supported by these media can make heat exchanges larger than those measured at the same separation distance between two massive homogeneous materials made with the elementary components of photonic crystals. These results could find broad applications in near-field technologies.

Mots clés: radiative transfer; near-field heat transfer; energy conversion

Domaines: Optique [physics.optics]; Optique / photonique; Matériaux

Philippe Ben-Abdallah, Karl Joulain, Andrey Pryamikov. Surface Bloch waves mediated heat transfer between two photonic crystals. Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96, pp.143117. ⟨10.1063/1.3385156⟩. ⟨hal-00469662⟩