High performance midinfrared narrow-band plasmonic thermal emitter

The blackbody radiation spectrum is fundamental to any thermal emitter. However, by properly designing the emitter structure, a narrow bandwidth and high power infrared source can be achieved. This invention consists of a triple layer structure by sandwiching a dielectric SiO2 layer between two Ag metal films on the Si substrate. The top Ag layer is perforated by periodic holes. When the device was heated, the background thermal radiation was suppressed by the bottom Ag whose emissivity is very low. The thermal radiation generated in the SiO2 layer resonant between two metal films and the Ag/SiO2 and the Ag/air surface plasmon polaritons are induced and converted to light radiation. Strong resonance at Ag/SiO2 (1,0) degenerate modes results in the coherent light radiation at the wavelength associated with the dielectric constant of SiO2 and the lattice constant of the perforated hole array. The ratio of the full width at half maximum to the peak wavelength is 0.114. This narrow bandwidth and high power infrared light source can be used to explore the biological response of cells and plants. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.