Vanadium dioxide radiative thermal transistor achieves hundredfold amplification of far-field heat current

Phase-change materials such as VO₂ offer exciting possibilities for thermal information processing and energy conversion, thanks to their tunable thermal properties that enable control of far-field radiative heat flow. This study presents a VO₂-based radiative thermal transistor that yields 100×{} amplification of far-field heat current. Along the way, the authors uncover how the phase-transition behavior, shaped by VO₂'s microstructure and intrinsic properties, directly influences radiative heat transfer. This work could enable the development of thermal logic circuits, smarter heat management, and innovative thermal devices with enhanced performance.