Thermochromic VO2 based sandwich structure Ag/Al2O3/VO2 with low solar absorption and tunable emittance for spacecraft

The smart radiator device (SRD) with low solar absorption (alpha(s)) and large infrared emittance modulation (Delta epsilon) is desirable to a spacecraft thermal control system. In this work, the SRD was fabricated through depositing the Ag/Al2O3/VO2 triple-layer film on the Si substrate by magnetron sputtering. The properties of the SRD devices were optimized by tuning the thickness of the VO2 layer, and a fantastic SRD device was acquired, which showed low alpha(s), high Delta epsilon, and intense high-temperature infrared emittance (e(HT)). For the device with a VO2 layer of 50 nm thickness, alpha(s) was as low as 29.7% and Delta epsilon reached 0.53 with e(HT) up to 0.87. The triple-layer film device shows great potential for applications in the spacecraft thermal control system. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.

Automated summary

In this study, a smart radiator device (SRD) with low solar absorption and large infrared emittance modulation was fabricated by depositing Ag/Al2O3/VO2 triple-layer film on a Si substrate through magnetron sputtering. By optimizing the thickness of the VO2 layer, a fantastic SRD device was obtained, demonstrating low alpha(s), high Delta epsilon, and intense high-temperature infrared emittance. The triple-layer film device has great potential for applications in spacecraft thermal control systems.