Control of Vibration-Metasurface Coupling at the Mid-Infrared Spectral Window for Inorganic Thermal Emitters

The coupling between light and molecular vibrational modes is dependent on the efficiency of molecular absorption. Here, we demonstrate a method to control the coupling between molecular mid -infrared absorption/emission in the chemical fingerprinting spectral window and a metasurface using SiO2 as an absorber/emitter and CaF2 as a spacer to optimize the strength of coupling. The use of inorganic dielectric I-spacers in metal-insulator -metal (MIM) metasurfaces opens applica-tions in narrow-band emitters for a mid -infrared spectral win-dow at elevated temperatures (>350 degrees C), where polymer/ organic I-spacers degrade.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates a method to control the coupling between molecular mid-infrared absorption/emission and a metasurface using SiO2 as an absorber/emitter and CaF2 as a spacer. The use of inorganic dielectric I-spacers in metal-insulator-metal (MIM) metasurfaces opens up applications for narrow-band emitters in the mid-infrared spectral window at high temperatures (>350 degrees C), where polymer/organic I-spacers degrade.