Velocity-induced nonreciprocal thermal radiation in moving graphene
Phys. Rev. B 114, 055409 – Published 10 July, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/sqxh-svnq
Abstract
Near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT), which can surpass the blackbody limit by orders of magnitude through evanescent waves like surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), holds great promise for advanced thermal management and energy conversion. A central challenge is achieving dynamic, nonreciprocal control over heat flow. This work proposes a scheme for velocity-programmed nonreciprocal thermal radiation using graphene. We develop a comprehensive fluctuational-electrodynamics framework that self-consistently incorporates both macroscopic plate motion, described by Lorentz transformations, and microscopic carrier drift, captured by a nonlocal, non-reciprocal conductivity model. This dual-velocity approach allows active sculpting of the SPP dispersion in momentum space, thereby tailoring the photon-tunneling probability in a directional manner. We demonstrate that by merely adjusting the relative velocities—while maintaining both plates at an identical temperature (300 K)—the net heat flux can be continuously tuned from strong forward to strong reverse flow, passing through multiple zero-crossing points. Momentum-space analyses provide a clear physical picture: the programmable heat flux originates from the Doppler-shifted mismatch or alignment of the SPP dispersions of the two graphene sheets. This work establishes a platform for active thermal photonics, where heat flow becomes a dynamically programmable function of velocity, with implications for on-chip thermal routing, adaptive thermal management, and energy recovery systems.