Thermal Photonics

All materials at a non-zero temperature emit light in the form of thermal radiation. Extracting light and energy from hot macroscopic objects such as the sun, an incandescent light bulb, or a piece of metal, is limited by the predetermined spectrum of blackbody radiation. Gaining control over the flow of light at subwavelength scales can modify this spectrum. This creates a fundamentally larger parameter space for tailoring the flow of radiative heat, with applications in thermal management, renewable energy, optoelectronics, light emission, and detection.

The group of thermal photonics will engage in theoretical as well as experimental investigations of engineering thermal emission and controlling the radiative heat transfer between bodies at different temperatures. We are studying the infrared properties of natural materials as well as nanostructures (e.g. metamaterials) and emerging materials with unique optical response (e.g. polaritonic low-dimensional materials) and favorable radiative properties. We further investigate means of actively tuning thermal emission and seek designs for approaching the thermodynamic limits in heat-to-electricity energy conversion.

The group has opportunities for outstanding Master’s students, Ph. D. students, and postdocs.

For postdoctoral scholars: Prof. Papadakis has been the recipient of the Tomkat Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford University (USA), the Marie-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowship (UK), and the la Caixa Junior Leader Postdoctoral Fellowship (ES). She can work with early-career researchers interested in joining the group via securing such external postdoctoral fellowships for career advancement. Please contact Prof. Georgia T. Papadakis for more information. Information on the application process can be found on the ICFO jobs website.

• Prineha Narang, Harvard University