Plasmon Thermal Conductivity of aThin Metal Film

The well-known classical size effect causes decreased thermal conductivity of thin films at the nanoscale, which usually results in hot-spot formation and device performance deterioration. Recent research has revealed a novel heat transfer mechanism based on the use of surface electromagnetic waves in a polar dielectric, specifically Zenneck surface modes. Surface plasmon polarations (SPPs) are a type of surface electromagnetic wave that is associate with free electrons within metals and so functions as a heat carrier. Thermally excited SPPs have been used to manipulate the near-field thermal radiation across a broad spectrum in lossy metals and heavily doped semiconductors. This presentation will discuss our most recent results about the surface-plasmon-enhanced in-plane thermal conductivity of a thin metal film on a glass substrate.