Multi-scale photonic emissivity engineering for relativistic lightsail thermal regulation

Abstract

The Breakthrough Starshot Initiative aims to send a gram-scale probe to Proxima Centuri B using a laser-accelerated lightsail traveling at relativistic speeds. Thermal management is a key lightsail design objective because of the intense laser powers required but has generally been considered secondary to accelerative performance. Here, we demonstrate nanophotonic photonic crystal slab reflectors composed of 2H-phase molybdenum disulfide and crystalline silicon nitride, highlight the inverse relationship between the thermal band extinction coefficient and the lightsail's maximum temperature, and examine the trade-off between the acceleration distance and setting realistic sail thermal limits, ultimately realizing a thermally endurable acceleration minimum distance of 16.3~Gm. We additionally demonstrate multi-scale photonic structures featuring thermal-wavelength-scale Mie resonant geometries, and characterize their broadband Mie resonance-driven emissivity enhancement and acceleration distance reduction. Our results highlight new possibilities in simultaneously controlling optical and thermal response over broad wavelength ranges in ultralight nanophotonic structures.