This book leads the reader from the well-established wave description of polaritons to their particle description to quantify the polariton contribution to the heat transport along polar and metallic nanofilms, nanowires, and cavities. Over the last few decades, the surface electromagnetic waves propagating along the interface of metals (plasmon polaritons) and polar dielectrics (phonon polaritons) have been widely studied to generate and guide energy currents.  And while the optical generation of these polaritons at a given frequency is well known and exploited nowadays, their thermal excitation and propagation in a broad frequency spectrum, explored in detail in this volume, have only more recently been emerging as an effective way to enhance conductive and radiative heat currents. Written by the foremost experts and researchers in nanoscale heat transport, this book consolidates in a single comprehensive view, the findings on surface electromagnetic waves as the 4th heat carriers, besides phonons, photons, and electrons. 

Heat transfer laws for conduction, radiation and convection change when the dimensions of the systems in question shrink. The altered behaviours can be used efficiently in energy conversion, respectively bio- and high-performance materials to control microelectronic devices. To understand and model those thermal mechanisms, specific metrologies have to be established. This book provides an overview of actual devices and materials involving micro-nanoscale heat transfer mechanisms. These are clearly explained and exemplified by a large spectrum of relevant physical models, while the most advanced nanoscale thermal metrologies are presented.

This book leads the reader from the well-established wave description of polaritons to their particle description to quantify the polariton contribution to the heat transport along polar and metallic nanofilms, nanowires, and cavities. Over the last few decades, the surface electromagnetic waves propagating along the interface of metals (plasmon polaritons) and polar dielectrics (phonon polaritons) have been widely studied to generate and guide energy currents.  And while the optical generation of these polaritons at a given frequency is well known and exploited nowadays, their thermal excitation and propagation in a broad frequency spectrum, explored in detail in this volume, have only more recently been emerging as an effective way to enhance conductive and radiative heat currents. Written by the foremost experts and researchers in nanoscale heat transport, this book consolidates in a single comprehensive view, the findings on surface electromagnetic waves as the 4th heat carriers, besides phonons, photons, and electrons. 

Heat transfer laws for conduction, radiation and convection change when the dimensions of the systems in question shrink. The altered behaviours can be used efficiently in energy conversion, respectively bio- and high-performance materials to control microelectronic devices. To understand and model those thermal mechanisms, specific metrologies have to be established. This book provides an overview of actual devices and materials involving micro-nanoscale heat transfer mechanisms. These are clearly explained and exemplified by a large spectrum of relevant physical models, while the most advanced nanoscale thermal metrologies are presented.