High-performance near-field radiative thermal logic computing

Abstract

Comparable to electric circuits, thermal systems can be conceptualized as thermal circuits, where heat transfer serves as the information carrier. This study introduces a near-field radiative thermal logic computing system based on phase change materials (PCMs). By leveraging their temperature-dependent properties, a reconfigurable structure is investigated with a rotatable gate, enabling dynamic control of radiative heat flow for logic operations. The system functions analogously to a thermal transistor, where gate temperature modulates thermal radiation between terminals. Thermal property of each gate surface can be switched between heat absorption and emission states, forming the basis for logic switching. The modular design supports multiple PCM-layer combinations and directional configurations. Notably, the total thermal computing capacity can reach over 24 × 109 distinct states with an integration of five PCMs and a pentagon-type gate. This work advances the development of programmable, non-contact, non-electronic logic systems for nanoscale thermal management and energy-efficient computation.