Large-Area near infrared metamaterial emitters based on Si nanodisk arrays

Abstract

Solar energy harvesting provides a sustainable solution to meet the continuous growth of global power demand. Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) technology is a technique of converting solar thermal energy into electricity, with its core component being a thermal emitter that can endure high temperatures. In this study, we successfully developed a spectrally selective emitter based on silicon nanodisk arrays on a tungsten substrate. By adjusting the structural parameters of the arrays, we can not only effectively tune the spectral position of the resonances but also control the spectral bandwidth, matching the absorption/emission wavelength with the bandgaps of various semiconductor materials. Experimental emissivity as high as 0.89 was obtained. The nanodisks are manufactured using scalable colloidal lithography enabling mass-production of these structures for TPV technology.