Semiconductor field-effect near-field thermal control skin with tunable emission via voltage-controlled plasmon polariton

Abstract

Variable emissivity coatings can manage heat flow and regulate temperature in small satellites operating under strict weight and power constraints, but their limited tuning ranges and discontinuous tunability affect their overall effectiveness. This study proposes two types of field-effect near-field thermal control skins (FENFS) to address these limitations: a p-n type with the same initial doped levels and an n-n type with different initial doped levels. Both designs enable active and continuous emissivity modulation through voltage-controlled plasmon polariton mode conversion. Results show that the maximum emissivity tuning range can reach 0.8 for the p-n type within [−3.8, 20] V and 0.7 for the n-n type within [−12.1, 3.2] V, with the p-n type achieving an emissivity below 0.1, which is suitable for heat preservation. By applying appropriate voltages, both FENFS effectively mitigate satellite surface temperature swings caused by fluctuating internal and external heat fluxes and can even maintain the surface temperature at a preset target temperature. The p-n type is better suited for low internal heat flux scenarios, whereas the n-n type performs better under higher internal heat flux cases. This study advances active emissivity control strategies for small satellite thermal management and expands the application of near-field radiative heat transfer in spacecraft systems.