UCLA scientists discover how to guide heat like light at room temperature
UCLA engineers have observed 'phonon focusing' at room temperature in boron arsenide, a phenomenon where heat travels in concentrated rays rather than dispersing evenly. This breakthrough could enable precise heat management in future electronics, similar to how fiber optics guide light.
Why it matters
Controlling heat at the nanoscale is critical for developing faster, more reliable, and more efficient next-generation electronic and quantum devices.
Managing heat efficiently inside solid materials is essential for developing faster, more reliable electronics. Until now, a wave-based form of heat transport called phonon focusing had only been observed at extremely low cryogenic temperatures, which made it difficult to study and limited its potential applications.
Researchers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering have now shown that phonons, the atomic vibrations that carry heat and display quantum behavior, can move through a material in concentrated, ray-shaped paths at room temperature. Rather than dispersing evenly in every direction, heat can follow routes determined by the structure of a crystal. The finding could lead to new ways of controlling heat in advanced electronics and quantum technologies.
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