Anomalous refraction of heat flux in thermal metamaterials

Abstract

We discuss the possibility of bending of heat flux in a multilayered composite typical to abnormal negative refraction, according to which the horizontal and the vertical components of the incident and refracted heat flux vectors point in the opposite direction. The engineered anisotropy of the thermal conductivity tensor is integral to such effects. We propose practical designs where such anomalous refraction phenomena may be observed and be used for heat flux redirection.