Radiative cooling of optoelectronic devices using hyperbolic metamaterials

Abstract

A method of radiative cooling of optoelectronic devices using a hyperbolic metamaterial TIM layer below the heat generating optoelectronics is disclosed. Optoelectronic devices are optimized for high radiative heat conductance due to broad hyperbolic frequency band in the Long-Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) range with an efficient electromagnetic black hole thermal interface between the metamaterial TIM layer and a metallic heat sink. A modified Stefan-Boltzmann law in the hyperbolic metamaterial layer enables domination of the radiative heat transfer in the TIM layer. The broadband divergence of the photonic density of states in hyperbolic metamaterials leads to an increase in radiative heat transfer, beyond the limit set by the Stefan-Boltzmann law. The resulting radiative thermal hyper-conductivity approach or even exceed heat conductivity via electrons and phonons in regular solids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of radiative cooling of optoelectronic devices comprising:
 positioning a hyperbolic metamaterial thermal interface layer below a heat generating optoelectronic layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of claim wherein said hyperbolic metamaterial has a metal-dielectric layered design. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said hyperbolic metamaterial incorporates aligned metal nanowire composites. 
     
     
         4 . The method of claim wherein said hyperbolic metamaterial comprises divergent photonic density of states. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hyperbolic metamaterial comprises divergent radiative heat conductance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said optoelectronic devices are optimized for high radiative heat conductance into a heat sink. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein radiative heat dissipation into said hyperbolic metamaterial is of greater orders of magnitude. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hyperbolic metamaterial exhibit electromagnetic properties resulting from broadband singular behavior of their said photonic density of states.