An overview of micro/nanoscaled thermal radiation and its applications

With the rapid development of micro/nanoscaled technologies, we are confronted with more and more challenges related to small-scale thermal radiation. Thorough understanding and handling of micro/nanoscaled radiative heat transfer is vital for many fields of modern science and technology. For example, proper utilization of near-field thermal radiation phenomenon greatly improves light-electric conversion efficiency. This review introduces theoretical and experimental investigation on near-field thermal radiation, especially progress in application and control of micro/nanoscaled radiative heat transfer, which addresses problems in developing renewable and sustainable energy techniques.     

Carrier dynamics around nano-scale Schottky contacts: a femtosecond near-field study

We report spatially and time-resolved measurements of ultrafast carrier dynamics around buried nano-scale Schottky contacts, performed with a novel femtosecond near-field scanning optical microscope. The experimental results are modeled by a self-consistent treatment of the drift–diffusion equation for the carriers and Poisson’s equation for the built-in electric field. We show that the built-in field suppresses electron transport towards and trapping into the metal particles at lower optically excited carrier densities. In contrast, efficient electron trapping into the metal occurs at higher electron densities, which screen the built-in field, allowing for efficient transport of electrons towards the Schottky contact.     

On the horizontal wobbling of an object levitated by near-field acoustic levitation

A circular planar object can be levitated with several hundreds of microns by ultrasonic near-field acoustic levitation (NFAL). However, when both the sound source and the levitated object are circularly shaped and the center of the levitated object does not coincide with the source center, instability problem often occurs. When this happens, it becomes difficult to pick up or transport the object for the next process. In this study, when the center of the levitated object was offset from the source center, the moving direction of the levitated object was predicted by using the time averaged potential around the levitated object. The wobbling frequency of the levitated object was calculated by analyzing the nonlinear wobbling motion of the object. It was shown that the predicted wobbling frequencies agreed with measured ones well. Finally, a safe zone was suggested to avoid the unstable movement of an object.     

Near-field thermal emission from metamaterials

A closed form expression for the local density of electromagnetic states (LDOS) due to a thermally emitting metamaterial bulk is derived from Maxwell's equations combined with fluctuational electrodynamics. The final form is the same as that for nonmagnetic materials, where the influence of the magnetic permeability is embedded in the Fresnel reflection coefficients. Spectral distributions of LDOS near metallic- and dielectric-based metamaterials are investigated. Results reveal that LDOS profiles are dominated by surface polaritons (SPs) in both TE and TM polarization states. A detailed discussion is provided on the necessary conditions for exciting TM- and TE-polarized SPs via a dispersion relation analysis that accounts for losses. Beyond the conventional conditions for excitation of SPs, the lossy dispersion relation analysis demonstrates mathematically that SPs exist when the imaginary parts of the permittivity or permeability, as well as n′n″, are close to zero, where n′ and n″ are the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index, respectively. An asymptotic expression for the extreme near field LDOS is derived, showing a Δ^?3 power law relationship, as for nonmagnetic media, between LDOS and distance from the emitting bulk Δ. Results obtained from this study will assist in assessing material properties of arbitrarily electromagnetic materials in applications related to energy harvesting.     

Estimate of the maximum range achievable by non-radiating wireless power transfer or near-field communication systems

Models relating the coupling coefficient of coupled circuits to their physical layout and separation are essentially empirical in nature and have, until very recently, been available exclusively for inductive systems. In this work, we propose elementary models for representing the evolution, with distance, of the coupling coefficient between two dipoles arranged in different configurations. Both the electric and magnetic coupling cases are examined. We demonstrate that in the case of electrically coupled dipoles, with due consideration for specific practical constraints, the coupling coefficient is optimal when the dipoles are asymmetrical and arranged in an axial configuration. We show that the rate of fall of coupling coefficient increases with the relative separation between the dipoles. Finally, a simple formula for estimating the range of all non-radiating resonant power transport devices is proposed.     

On Subspaces and Mappings of Near-vector Spaces

We investigate subspaces and homogeneous and linear mappings of near-vector spaces.     

Microwave excitation and readout of nano- and micron scale cantilevers

We show that a microwave near-field coaxial resonator system allows mechanical cantilever excitation on a scale much shorter than the microwave wavelength. Thermal noise is observed in the unexcited system, enabling room temperature displacement sensitivity of ∼70 fm/Hz^1/2. The measured force between near-field probe and cantilever varies with separation, in excellent agreement with theory. Uniquely, optical excitation and read-out lasers are also included. The dependence of mechanical resonator quality factor on ambient air pressure has been accurately measured. We have demonstrate passive cantilever mode cooling from 300 K to 80 K by frequency detuning the microwave resonator and propose pulsed cooling operation to enable several high-sensitivity applications.     

Resonantly enhanced transmission of light through subwavelength apertures with dielectric filling

Using both analytical and numerical methods to study transmission of light through dielectric-filled subwavelength apertures in a real metal, we have found that a propagating mode can in principle exist inside a waveguide of arbitrary small size if a particular relationship between the dielectric constants of the cladding and filling materials at the incident frequency is satisfied. Practical transmission through a subwavelength aperture of finite depth can be enhanced when the depth is such that Fabry-Pérot-like resonances are excited. For 810 nm light incident on a silicon-filled 50-nm-diameter aperture in a 200-nm-thick gold film, we found that a normalized near-field intensity ratio of 1.6 at the exit can be achieved. This resonantly enhanced transmission phenomenon may be advantageously applicable to near-field scanning optical microscopy and single-molecule spectroscopy.     

FDTD方法对固体浸没透镜的光场分析

采用二维时域有限差分(2D-FDTD)方法研究了高斯光束通过固体浸没透镜(SIL)的光场分布特性.模拟结果表明,SIL的折射率越大,底面出射的光斑越小,但随离底面距离的增大光束很快展宽;当只有入射角大于全反射临界角、具有高空间频率的部分高斯光束聚焦到SIL底面金属膜中心的微孔时,针对不同直径的微孔,模拟了出射光场的分布,发现微孔直径在某一特定值时,出射光斑半径在距SIL底面近半个波长范围内无明显改变,该结果为增大SIL和存储介质间距的方案提供了理论依据.