Near field thermal memory based on radiative phase bistability of VO2

• We report the concept of a near-field memory device based on the radiative bistability effect in the system of two closely separated parallel plates of SiO2 and VO2 which exchange heat by thermal radiation in vacuum. We demonstrate that the VO2 plate, having metal-insulator transition at 340 K, has two thermodynamical steady-states. One can switch between the states using an external laser impulse. We show that due to near-field photon tunneling between the plates, the switching time is found to be only 5 ms which is several orders lower than in case of far field.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

heat transfer

bistability

memory effect

metal insulator transition

thermal radiation

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)