Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 16: Photonics II

Q 16.8: Talk

Monday, March 18, 2013, 18:15–18:30, A 310

Probing Planck's Law for a Silica Nanofiber — •Christian Wuttke and Arno Rauschenbeutel — VCQ TU Wien - Atominstitut, Stadionallee 2, A-1020 Wien

We investigate the thermalization via heat radiation of a silica fiber with a diameter smaller than the thermal wavelength. The temperature change of the subwavelength-diameter fiber is determined through a measurement of its optical path length in conjunction with an ab initio thermodynamic model of the fiber structure. The results differ significantly from the predictions of Planck's law based on the spectral emissivity of silica. Excellent agreement is obtained with a theoretical model that considers heat radiation as a volumetric effect and that takes the emitter shape and size relative to the emission wavelength into account. These results are of fundamental interest, may lead to technical applications, and can contribute to improved models of the earth's climate system