Noncontact near-field photon transfer control using metamaterial

In this paper, by using a microcomblike metamaterial, noncontact control of near-field evanescent photon tunneling is achieved. With the control of spoof surface modes inside the comb, resonant frequencies of tunneling peaks can be tuned without disturbing the surface structure or causing separation. An analytical model based on effective medium theory is employed to understand the tuning effect and elucidate the origin of different tunneling modes. The current study can enrich the basic understandings of near-field radiation heat transfer, and they help various applications like aerospace thermal management and near-field spectroscopy.