Negative differential thermal resistance and thermal transistor

We report on the first model of a thermal transistor to control heat flow. Like its electronic counterpart, our thermal transistor is a three-terminal device with the important feature that the current through the two terminals can be controlled by small changes in the temperature or in the current through the third terminal. This control feature allows us to switch the device between 'off' (insulating) and 'on' (conducting) states or to amplify a small current. The thermal transistor model is possible because of the negative differential thermal resistance. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.