Phonon-Polariton Mediated Thermal Radiation and Heat Transfer among Molecules and Macroscopic Bodies: Nonlocal Electromagnetic Response at Mesoscopic Scales

Nonlocal composite metamaterial in calculation of near-field thermal rectification

We consider the near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) between a semi-infinite polar dielectric plate and a composite metamaterial containing semiconductor nanoparticles with spatial dispersion or nonlocality. We show that the enhancement of near-field heat radiation is found owing to the strong coupling of surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs) excited between polar dielectric plate and air, and localized surface plasmon polaritons (LSPPs) in the composite metamaterials. The introduction of nonlocality is helpful to enhance the NFRHT and even the rectification efficiency significantly when the temperature difference is small. For a large volume fraction of semiconductor nanoparticles, the thermal rectification efficiency can be larger than 90% at a small temperature difference within 150 K. Our findings may pave a way for thermal devices based on composite metamaterial containing semiconductor nanoparticles.

From quantum to continuum mechanics in the delamination of atomically-thin layers from substrates

Anomalous proximity effects have been observed in adhesive systems ranging from proteins, bacteria, and gecko feet suspended over semiconductor surfaces to interfaces between graphene and different substrate materials. In the latter case, long-range forces are evidenced by measurements of non-vanishing stress that extends up to micrometer separations between graphene and the substrate. State-of-the-art models to describe adhesive properties are unable to explain these experimental observations, instead underestimating the measured stress distance range by 2–3 orders of magnitude. Here, we develop an analytical and numerical variational approach that combines continuum mechanics and elasticity with quantum many-body treatment of van der Waals dispersion interactions. A full relaxation of the coupled adsorbate/substrate geometry leads us to conclude that wavelike atomic deformation is largely responsible for the observed long-range proximity effect. The correct description of this seemingly general phenomenon for thin deformable membranes requires a direct coupling between quantum and continuum mechanics.

The unexpectedly long-ranged interface stress observed in recent delamination experiments is yet to be clarified. Here, the authors develop an analytical approach to show the wavelike atomic deformation as the origin for the observed ultra long-range stress in delamination of graphene from various substrates.