Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer between Layered ß-GeSe Slabs: First-Principles Approach.

The group-IV monochalcogenide monolayers, GeSe, are interesting and novel two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials due to their highly anisotropic physical properties. Monolayers of the different GeSe polymorphs have already had their physical properties and potential applications extensively investigated. However, few-layer homostructures, which can also be approximated as 2D systems in many cases, have not received the same attention. For this reason, in this work, we investigate the optical properties of a free-standing few-layer ß-GeSe system and use this information to investigate their performance in the near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT). The required optical conductivity of the few-layer 2D material is calculated by using density functional theory (DFT), including spin-orbit coupling. The band structure is investigated for up to five layers, and the effective electron masses are calculated correspondingly. Using this information, both the intraband transitions due to the presence of free electrons introduced by doping and the interband transitions are considered. The contribution of the ionic vibrations is also included in calculating the optical properties because of its relevance to NFRHT through the resulting active optical phonons. With all these contributions included, more realistic predictions of the NFRHT between the layered 2D ß-GeSe materials can be obtained. It is found that the heat transfer attainable with the layered system is similar to that of a single layer of ß-GeSe we have obtained previously.

Casimir forces out of thermal equilibrium near a superconducting transition.

We present a comprehensive analysis of the out-of-equilibrium Casimir pressure between two high-[Formula: see text] superconducting plates, each kept at a different temperature. Two interaction regimes can be distinguished. While the zero-point energy dominates in the near field, thermal effects become important at large interplate separations causing a drop in the force's magnitude compared with the usual thermal-equilibrium case. Our detailed calculations highlight the competing role played by propagating and evanescent modes. Moreover, as one of the plates undergoes the superconducting transition, we predict an abrupt change in the force for any plate distance, which has not been previously observed in other systems. The sensitivity of the dielectric function of the high-[Formula: see text] superconductors makes them ideal systems for a possible direct measurement of the out-of-equilibrium Casimir pressure.

Terahertz response of plasmonic nanoparticles: Plasmonic Zeeman Effect.

Magnetoplasmons are the coupling of an external magnetic field and a plasmon or a localized plasmon, in the case of nanoparticles. We present a theoretical study, in the quasi-static limit, of the plasmonic response of nanoparticles when a constant magnetic field is applied. The plasmonic modes split into two satellite peaks with a frequency shift proportional to the magnetic field. The constant of proportionality is the effective Bohr magneton. This splitting of the fundamental plasmonic mode is akin to the splitting of energy levels in the Zeeman effect. The results are valid for any material that has a plasmonic response. For higher magnetic fields, the frequency shift of the splitting becomes non-linear with the magnetic field as what happens with the non-linear Zeeman effect.

Near-field radiative heat transfer between high-temperature superconductors.

Near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) management can be achieved using high-temperature superconductors. In this work, we present a theoretical study of the radiative heat transfer between two [Formula: see text] (YBCO) slabs in three different scenarios: Both slabs either in the normal or superconducting state, and only one of them below the superconductor critical temperature [Formula: see text]. The radiative heat transfer is calculated using Rytov's theory of fluctuating electrodynamics, while a two-fluid model describes the dielectric function of the superconducting materials. Our main result is the significant suppression of the NFRHT when one or both of the slabs are superconducting, which is explained in terms of the detailed balance of the charge carriers density together with the sudden reduction of the free electron scattering rate. A critical and unique feature affecting the radiative heat transfer between high-temperature superconductors is the large damping of the mid-infrared carriers which screens the surface plasmon excitation.

Variations of the Lifshitz-van der Waals force between metals immersed in liquids.

We present a theoretical calculation of the Lifshitz-van der Waals force between two metallic slabs embedded in a fluid, taking into account the change of the Drude parameters of the metals when in contact with liquids of different index of refraction. For the three liquids considered in this work, water, CCl(3)F and CBr(3)F the change in the Drude parameters of the metal imply a difference of up to 15% in the determination of the force at short separations. These variations in the force are larger for liquids with a higher index of refraction.

Mie scattering and the physical mechanisms of sonoluminescence

We propose an experimental procedure to investigate possible mechanisms for radiation emission in sonoluminescence. Our analysis is based on Mie's theory of light scattering for a coated sphere in an external medium. Depending on the physical mechanism responsible of sonoluminescence, the dielectric constant of the hot spot changes. As a case study we consider the problem of the detection of an inner plasma core in sonoluminescent bubbles. Our results show that polarization measurements of scattered light should discern the presence of a plasma provided that light detectors are fast enough. Extensions to other emission mechanisms are briefly discussed.