High Temperature Wavelength-Selective Thermal Emitters Based on Metal-Insulator-Metal Structures

Abstract

We have developed narrow-band mid-infrared thermal emitters based on refractory plasmonic perfect absorbers operative at very high temperature. Colloidal mask etching was adopted to Mo-Al₂O₃-Mo trilayers to realize large-scale and cost-effective fabrication of periodically arrayed disk resonators. Using molybdenum and aluminum oxide as refractory components, high temperature operation was demonstrated up to 1000°C or even higher while retaining the excellent thermal stability and narrow-band emission comparable to that of noble metal plasmonic emitters. The narrow-band emission peaks can be tuned flexibly from 3 to 8 μm which overlaps well with the spectral region of molecular fingerprints. The proposed wavelength-selective thermal emitters can be used for various applications such as energy-saving high-power infrared heaters as well as for light sources for active infrared sensor systems.