Abstract: Understanding radiative heat transfer in nanoscale gaps and devices is of considerable interest for creating novel energy conversion devices.

In this talk, I will first describe ongoing efforts in our group to experimentally elucidate nanoscale radiative heat transfer. I will present our recent experimental work where we have explored how radiative heat transfer is modified in nanoscale gaps at room temperature and cryogenic temperatures. Specifically, I will describe a variety of instrumentation including novel nanopositioning platforms and microdevices, which we have developed to accomplish these measurements. Further, I will discuss possible applications of near-field thermal radiation for energy conversion and photonic cooling. Finally, I will briefly outline how these technical advances can be leveraged for future investigations of nanoscale heat transport and near-field thermophotovoltaic energy conversion.

Bio: Pramod Reddy is a professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He received a B. Tech and M. Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in 2002, and a Ph.D. in Applied Science and Technology from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007.