Thermal management system

A thermal management system for selectively thermally isolating and thermally connecting a laser diode in a depth camera to a heat sink, comprising:

• a first thermally conductive component having a first surface proximate to the laser diode;
• a first electromagnet between the first surface and the laser diode;
• a second thermally conductive component spaced apart from the first component, the second component proximate to the heat sink;
• a second electromagnet proximate to the second component;
• a gap serving as a thermal boundary between the first component and the second component;
• a carrier fluid disposed within the gap and including multiple thermally conductive, ferrous particles, the carrier fluid being configured to align at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles across a central region of the gap when the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet generate a magnetic field that attracts the particles, and to displace at least a portion of the particles from the central region of the gap when the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet generate a magnetic field that repels the particles;
• a power supply configured to supply power to the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet;
• and
• a controller operably connected to the power supply and configured to selectively control the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet to either attract at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles and enhance heat transfer from the laser diode to the heat sink, or to repel at least a portion of the thermally conductive, ferrous particles and inhibit heat transfer from the laser diode to the heat sink.