Tunable broadband plasmonic perfect absorber at visible frequency

Applied Physics A,  December 2012, Volume 109, Issue 4, pp 769-773.

Mehdi Keshavarz Hedayati (1), Franz Faupel (2), Mady Elbahri (1,3)

Author Affiliations

1. Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kiel, Kaiserstrasse 2, 24143, Kiel, Germany

2. Multicomponent Materials, Institute for Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kiel, Kaiserstrasse 2, 24143, Kiel, Germany

3. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute of Polymer Research, Nanochemistry and Nanoengineering, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502, Geesthacht, Germany

Abstract

Metamaterials and plasmonics as a new pioneering field in photonics joins the features of photonics and electronics by coupling photons to conduction electrons of a metal as surface plasmons (SP). This concept has been implemented for a variety of applications including negative index of refraction, magnetism at visible frequency, cloaking devices amongst others. In the present work, we used plasmonic hybrid material in order to design and fabricate a broad-band perfect plasmonic metamaterial absorber in a stack of metal and Copper-PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) nanocomposite showing an average absorbance of 97.5 % in the whole visible spectrum. Our experimental results showed that the absorption peak of the stacks can be tuned upon varying the thickness and type of the spacer layer due to the sensitivity of plasmon resonance to its environment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a plasmonic metamaterial absorber based on copper with absorption around 100 % in the entire visible and near-Infrared (NIR).

 

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Additional Information

Plasmonic Metamaterials (PMM) as a class of materials with some exotic properties drawn the attention considerably in the last decade because of their non-limited potential for vast number of applications such as negative refractive index [1], nano-laser [2] and photovoltaics [3] amongst others. Complete absorption of light is another new potential of PMM which open up the road toward their implementation for energy harvesting devices [4]. Fabrication methods of majority of the reports on highly absorbing structure is based on the lithography with multiple steps of preparation. Additionally, the absorption band  of the developed PMM is very narrow which restrict their application in photovoltaics [5]. Moreover, unit cell of plasmonic metamaterials designed for optical frequency need to be few 10th of nanometer big which turns their manufacturing cumbersome. Based on plasmonic nanocomposites, recently we demonstrate the design and fabrication of a tunable metamaterial perfect absorber spanning broad range of frequencies covering the solar spectrum [6,7]. The developed absorber is polarization insensitive and angle-invariant. Its wide absorption band can be tuned from near UV frequency up to NIR by changing the thickness of the film, filling factor of the composite and type of the metal.

The stacks is fabricated with a routine methods of MEMS/NEMS industry via tandem sputtering of metal, dielectric, whereas the self assembly of the metallic components giving rise to well dispersion of ultra-fine metallic nanoparticles (D<5 nm) in an  isolating matrix.

According to our ongoing research, the complete absorption of light in the developed metamaterial is originated from the manifold phenomena. Multi-excitation of plasmon resonances, plasmonic coupling, light trapping and interferences within the layers. The net effect is the diminishing of the reflectivity in a wide spectrum range hence realization of a perfect plasmonic absorber.

In short, a new plasmonic metamaterial with almost perfect absorption of light within the whole visible spectrum is demonstrated. Its fabrication technique is cost-effective and compatible with current procedures in the MEMS industry. It is shown that this method and concept is applicable for different noble metals and the high absorption is polarization insensitive and angle invariant.

 

 

References

[1] A. Boltasseva, V.M. Shalaev,“Fabrication of optical negative-index metamaterials: Recent advances and outlook,” Metamaterials vol. 2, p. 1, 2008.
[2] A. K. Sarychev, G. Tartakovsky, “Magnetic plasmonic metamaterials in actively pumped host medium and plasmonic nanolaser,” Phys. Rev. B vol. 75, p. 085436, 2007.
[3] H. A. Atwater, A. Polman, “Plasmonics for improved photovoltaic devices,” Nature Materials vol. 9, p. 205, 2010.
[4] C. M. Watts, X. Liu, W. J. Padilla, “Metamaterial Electromagnetic Wave Absorbers,” Advanced Materials, vol. 24, p. OP98, 2012.
[5] N. Liu , M. Mesch, T. Weiss, M. Hentschel, H. Giessen, “Infrared Perfect Absorber and Its Application As Plasmonic Sensor,” Nano Lett., vol. 10, p. 2342, 2010.
[6] M.K. Hedayati, M. Javaherirahim, B. Mozooni, R. Abdelaziz, A. Tavassolizadeh, V.S.K. Chakravadhanula, V. Zaporojtchenko, T. Strunskus, F. Faupel, M. Elbahri, “ Design of a Perfect Black Absorber at Visible Frequencies Using Plasmonic Metamaterials,” Adv. Mater. vol. 23, p. 5410, 2011.
[7] M. K. Hedayati, F. Faupel, M. Elbahri, “Tunable broadband plasmonic perfect absorber at visible frequency” Appl. Phys. A. vol. 109, p. 769, 2012.

 

Tunable broadband plasmonic perfect absorber at visible frequency

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