Abstract:

A new thermal infrared device could one day make it possible to collect waste heat at infrared wavelengths and turn it into reusable energy. This new technology may improve thermophotovoltaics, which is a type of solar cell that uses infrared light (heat) rather than the visible light absorbed by traditional solar cells.

The new device is based on synthetic materials that exhibit exotic properties not available from natural materials. The researchers used a metamaterial engineered to absorb and emit infrared wavelengths with very high efficiency. This in combination with electronically controlled movement, the researchers created the first metamaterial device with infrared emission properties that can be quickly changed on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

The researchers report that their infrared emitter can achieve a range of infrared intensities and can display patterns at speeds of up to 110 kHz, or more than 100,000 times per second. Scaling up the technology could allow it to be used to create dynamic infrared patterns for friend or foe identification during combat.