Large-area long-wave infrared broadband all-dielectric metasurface absorber based on maskless laser direct writing lithography

Abstract

Scalable and low-cost manufacturing of broadband absorbers for use in the long-wave infrared region are of enormous importance in various applications, such as infrared thermal imaging, radiative cooling, thermal photovoltaics and infrared sensor. In recent years, a plethora of broadband absorption metasurfaces made of metal nano-resonators with plasmon resonance have been synthesized. Still, their disadvantages in terms of complex structure, production equipment, and fabrication throughput, limit their future commercial applications. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a broadband large-area all-dielectric metasurface absorber comprised of silicon (Si) arrays of square resonators and a silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) film in the long-wave infrared region. The multiple Mie resonance modes generated in a single-size Si resonator are utilized to enhance the absorption of the Si 3 N 4 film to achieve broadband absorption. At the same time, the transversal optical (TO) phonon resonance of Si 3 N 4 and the Si resonator’s magnetic dipole resonance are coupled to achieve a resonator size-insensitive absorption peak. The metasurface absorber prepared by using maskless laser direct writing technology displays an average absorption of 90.36% and a peak absorption of 97.55% in the infrared region of 8 to 14 µm, and still maintains an average absorption of 88.27% at an incident angle of 40°. The experimentally prepared 2 cm × 3 cm patterned metasurface absorber by maskless laser direct writing lithography (MLDWL) exhibits spatially selective absorption and the thermal imaging of the sample shows that the maximum temperature difference of 17.3 °C can exist at the boundary.