Active control of nonreciprocal near-field radiative heat transfer with a drift-current biased graphene/α-MoO3 heterostructure

The interaction between the drift current biased graphene plasmonics and the hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) of α-MoO3 provides a promising way to manipulate near-field radiation heat transfer (NFRHT). Based on the drift-biased graphene/α-MoO3 heterostructure, it is found that the drift currents applied to the graphene surface can effectively promote photon tunneling, and hence it can dynamically modulate the coupling effect of the two excitations, providing a reliable pathway for the modulation of NFRHT. Furthermore, the influencing mechanism of vacuum gaps on nonreciprocal NFRHT with different drift current rates is revealed, and it is discovered that the vacuum gaps can filter the nonreciprocal surface plasmon polaritons with high nonreciprocity. Our findings make it possible to manipulate nanoscale thermal rectification and noncontact thermal modulation.