Radiative Thermal Runaway Due to Negative-Differential Thermal Emission Across a Solid-Solid Phase Transition

Thermal runaway is a positive-feedback phenomenon observed in many contexts, including fluid boiling and self-heating in semiconductors. Leveraging the insulator-metal phase transition of VO₂, the authors characterize the dynamics of thermal runaway when heat is dissipated from an emitter through far-field thermal radiation. By minimizing the emitter's thermal mass, they show that rapid thermal switching is achievable. Further enhancements may be possible using near-field radiation. This description of the switching dynamics associated with radiative thermal runaway may enable the design of advanced infrared sensors, thermal diodes, and calorimeters.