Anomalous near-field heat transfer in carbon-based nano-structures with edge states

Abstract

We find an unusually optimal near field heat transfer, where the maximum heat transfer is reached at experimentally feasible gap separation. We attribute this to the localized zero-energy electronic edge states, which also substantially changes the near-field behaviors. We demonstrate these anomalous behaviors in two typical carbon-based nano-structures: zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene nano-triangles. For the system of carbon nanotubes, the maximal heat flux in this work surpasses all the previous results reported so far by several orders of magnitude. The underlying mechanisms for the peculiar effects are uncovered from a simple Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model. Our findings also offer a novel route to active near-field thermal switch, where the heat flux can be modulated through tuning the presence or absence of edge states.