caloritronics

Caloritronics is a field of study concerned with the generation, control and measurement of heat currents at micro- and nanoscale, using electronic and nanoscale devices to manipulate thermal energy and convert between heat and electrical signals. It combines thermodynamics, solid-state physics, and nanotechnology.

Key concepts include thermoelectric effects (Seebeck, Peltier), thermal rectification, and coherent heat transport. Researchers seek to build devices that guide heat flow similarly to electronic diodes and transistors, enabling caloric circuits and logic.

Devices and concepts include thermal diodes, thermal transistors, and thermal memories, as well as caloritronic circuits that use thermoelectric elements, superconducting junctions, quantum dots, or graphene sheets to control heat flow. Phononics and spin caloritronics are related subfields that study heat carried by phonons or spin excitations.

Applications include improved thermal management in nanoscale electronics, energy harvesting, and the possibility of computation using heat signals. The field also informs fundamental studies of heat transport, quantum thermodynamics, and nanoscale energy conversion.

The term and concept emerged during the early 21st century as nanoscale experiments demonstrated controllable heat flow via electronic means. Ongoing work focuses on improving device performance, integration, and the fundamental limits of heat manipulation at the quantum and mesoscopic levels.