Figure 1

Black body emission and view factor. (a) Blackbody radiation spectra at room temperature (red curve) and at liquid nitrogen temperature (blue curve). The light red bar indicates the wavelength range relevant for this work (9–11 µm). (b) While a sample will always emit thermal energy homogeneously within the solid angle of a half-sphere, the amount of incident hot and cold radiation will determine the temperature distribution on the sample. By tuning the view factor of hot and cold radiation over the solid angle, the temperature profile can be manipulated. The sample is at a temperature T_S and emits radiation with intensity I_S. The hot sections of the solid angle environment emit with intensity I_h and the cold section with I_C.