We present the numerical simulation, using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, of the radiative heat transfer between two thin SiC slabs. We aim to explore the ability of the FDTD method to reproduce the analytical results for the Surface Phonon Polariton (SPhP) assisted near field radiative energy transfer between two SiC slabs separated by a nano/micro-metric vacuum gap. In this regard, we describe the key challenges that must be addressed for simulating general near-field radiative energy transfer problems using the FDTD method. FDTD is a powerful technique for simulating the near-field radiative energy transfer because it allows simulating arbitrary shaped nano-structured bodies, like photonic crystals, for which an analytical solution is not readily obtained.

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Radiative characteristics of one-dimensional structured emitter was investigated through calculating emission of thermal radiation by solving the Maxwell's Equations using a FDTD method. The radiative simulation based on fluctuational electrodynamics enable to evaluate quantitative emission of thermal radiation. For a specular emitter made of nickel metal with a thin-transparent film, some interference was described through simulation solving emission of thermal radiation. For a shallow-grooved surface emitter made of silicon carbide, surface-phonon polaritons were coupled with a propagating-radiation by the periodic structure. Finally, the characteristics of emission controls by the specular metal with the thin-transparent film and the shallow-grooved surface emitter were illustrated and compared from a point of view of emission of thermal radiation.

Through interference of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), near-field radiation transfer between pillar-array-structured surfaces was enhanced compared with that between plane surfaces. Even in nanoscale channels between the pillars, the SPPs could propagate, and then a kind of interference and resonance took place according to the depth of the channel between the pillars. With decreasing pillar height, the frequency at maximum radiation transfer was shifted to the high-frequency side. That is, spectral control of near-field radiation could be achieved using pillar-array-structured surfaces.

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