Residual surface charge mediated near-field radiative energy transfer: A topological insulator analog

Abstract

We study the modifications of near-field radiative energy transfer (NFRET) caused by residual surface charges, which are common in micro- and nano-systems like NEMS/MEMS. The host object with the residual surface charges and the inherent bulk state can be treated as an analog of the real three-dimensional topological insulator, which is inherent of also both surface states and bulk states and is promising to modulate NFRET. Through constructing such a topological insulator analog, we aim to modulate NFRET concerning only common trivial materials. Besides the well-known resonant modes (surface polariton and localized surface polariton) supported by the bulk state, the residual surface charges give rise to an additional temperature-dependent mode providing a new heat flux channel. For low temperatures we find a giant surface-charge-induced enhancement of the NFRET due to a good match between the surface-charge-induced resonance and the Planck window. However, for relative high temperatures where the Fröhlich resonance dominates the heat transfer rather the surface-charge-induced resonance, the residual charges result in a weakening of the NFRET. This work paves way for understanding and modulating the near-field radiative energy transfer for micro- and nano-systems.