Polarization Independent Metamaterial Absorber with Anti-Reflection Coating Nanoarchitectonics for Visible and Infrared Window Applications

Abstract

The visible and infrared wavelengths are the most frequently used electromagnetic (EM) waves in the frequency spectrum; able to penetrate the atmosphere and reach Earth’s surface. These wavelengths have attracted much attention in solar energy harvesting; thermography; and infrared imaging applications for the detection of electrical failures; faults; or thermal leakage hot spots and inspection of tapped live energized components. This paper presents a numerical analysis of a compact cubic cross-shaped four-layer metamaterial absorber (MA) structure by using a simple metal-dielectric-metal-dielectric configuration for wideband visible and infrared applications. The proposed MA achieved above 80% absorption in both visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum from 350 to 1250 nm wavelength with an overall unit cell size of 0.57λ × 0.57λ × 0.59λ. The SiO2 based anti-reflection coating of sandwiched tungsten facilitates to achieve the wide high absorption bandwidth. The perceptible novelty of the proposed metamaterial is to achieve an average absorptivity of 95.3% for both visible and infrared wavelengths with a maximum absorptivity of 98% from 400 nm to 900 nm. Furthermore, the proposed structure provides polarization insensitivity with a higher oblique incidence angle tolerance up to 45°.

Broadband near unity absorption meta-structure for solar thermophotovoltaic systems and optical window applications

“…Longer wavelengths can penetrate larger cover layers, however, this increases by 850–2000 nm absorption. Similar absorption characteristics of various thickness layers in metamaterial absorbers in the optical region are described by Ahmed Musa et al 39 After evaluating the impact of various cover layer H up thicknesses, H up = 10 nm is considered for confirming the proposed meta-structure unit cell design. Hence, it can be said that the cover layer acts as an anti-reflection surface.…”

“…Here, the dimensions of the proposed meta-structure are taken according to recent research in optical wavelength applications. 36,39,52,[64][65][66][67][68] The unit cell's resonator metal layer is composed of four linked cylinders, each connected to a T-shaped Jerusalem cross. The proposed meta-structure unit cell geometry is finalized in five steps, as shown in Fig.…”

“…Meta-structure unit cell absorbers are usually a three-layered structure of metal-insulatormetal; however, recently four-layered meta-structure absorber unit cells have been developed to increase absorption. [39][40][41] The literature review of three-layered meta-structure absorbers demonstrated the viability of building four-layered metasurface absorbers for applications in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared ranges. Lei et al 42 reported a polarizationinsensitive three-layered meta-structure unit cell with 90% average absorbance in the 354-1066 nm wavelength range.…”

“…In addition, some research has shown ultra-broadband meta-structure absorbers with excellent absorption capabilities in each case; nevertheless, the application principles were not properly demonstrated. Ahmed Musa et al 53 reported a four-layered meta-structure absorber with 95.3% average absorbance and oblique incidence angle tolerance up to 45°. Jing Ma et al 54 proposed a multilayered absorber that absorbed 93% of the visible and near-infrared light from 400 nm to 2500 nm.…”

New multilayer film photonic crystal grating multilayer anti-reflection layer for visible-near-infrared solar cells

“…Prashant et al introduced a uniformly arranged array of gold nanotubes on top of the ITO anti-reflection film and found that it could effectively increase the light trapping in the visible and infrared waveband after applying Finite-Difference Time-Domain analysis [16]. Musa et al used a metal-dielectric-metal-dielectric structure to design a SiO 2 -based intercalated tungsten ARL that can be used in the 350-1350 nm waveband, improving the average absorption of the material in the visible and infrared wavebands [17]. Wang M. et al proposed a ZnO nano-pin array structure constructed on the textured polycrystalline silicon surface, which reduced the reflection in the visible-NIR band and enabled the cell to exhibit excellent light trapping performance in the 350-1100 nm waveband [18].…”