Optical transitional switch

A satellite, comprising:

• a heat generating element;
• and
• a hyperbolic metamaterial provided as a radiative structure disposed in thermal communication with the heat generating element, the hyperbolic metamaterial comprising:
• a substrate;
• and
• sub-wavelength nanostructures arrayed on the substrate,
• wherein each sub-wavelength nanostructure has a decreasing cross-sectional area with increasing height from the substrate and comprises:
• dielectric or semi-metallic material layers;
• and
• metal-insulator transition (MIT) material layers respectively interleaved with the dielectric or semi-metallic material layers, and
• wherein each MIT material layer and each dielectric or semi-metallic material layer of each sub-wavelength nanostructure has a cross-sectional shape characterized in that current is induced in one or both of the dielectric or semi-metallic material layers and the MIT material layers by exposure to a magnetic field.

A method of forming a hyperbolic metamaterial, the method comprising:

• building up an array of sub-wavelength nanostructures on a substrate,
• wherein the building up of each sub-wavelength nanostructure comprises:
• depositing a dielectric or semi-metallic material layer with a cross-sectional shape characterized in that current is induced in the dielectric or semi-metallic material layer by exposure to a magnetic field;
• depositing a metal-insulator transition (MIT) material layer on the dielectric or semi-metallic material layer with a similar cross-sectional shape as the dielectric or semi-metallic material layer;
• and
• successively repeating the depositing of the dielectric or semi-metallic material layer and the depositing of the MIT material layer with each successive layer having a decreased cross-sectional area.