Dynamically tunable transformation thermodynamics

Recently, the introduction of transformation thermodynamics has provided a way to design thermal media that alter the flow of heat according to any spatial deformation, enabling the construction of novel devices such as thermal cloaks or concentrators. However, in its current version, this technique only allows static deformations of space. Here, we develop a space-time theory of transformation thermodynamics that incorporates the possibility of performing time-varying deformations. This extra freedom greatly widens the range of achievable effects, providing an additional degree of control for heat management applications. As an example, we design a reconfigurable thermal cloak that can be opened and closed dynamically, therefore being able to gradually adjust the temperature distribution of a given region. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.