Thermal emitter comprising near-zero permittivity materials

DWPI Title: Thermal emitter for infrared light sources, has wavelength of emitted infrared light that occurs near epsilon-near-zero condition of doped semiconductor material layers
Abstract: A novel thermal source comprising a semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial provides control of the emission spectrum and the angular emission pattern. These properties arise because of epsilon-near-zero conditions in the semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial. In particular, the thermal emission is dominated by the epsilon-near-zero effect in the doped quantum wells composing the semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial. Furthermore, different properties are observed for s and p polarizations, following the characteristics of the strong anisotropy of hyperbolic metamaterials.
Use: Thermal emitter for infrared light sources.
Advantage: The very good agreement between the effective medium and the superlattice models is obtained. The resonance frequency and directivity are driven by an ENZ effect and the optical anisotropy of the hyperbolic metamaterial.
Novelty: The thermal emitter has a semiconductor hyperbolic metamaterial comprising periodic alternating layers of a doped semiconductor material. An undoped semiconductor material forms several quantum wells. The period is subwavelength to emitted infrared light. The wavelength of emitted infrared light occurs near the epsilon-near-zero condition of the doped semiconductor material layers. The dopant density of the doped semiconductor material is sufficient to achieve an epsilon-near-zero condition at a desired wavelength of the emitted infrared light.
Filed: 12/15/2016
Application Number: US15379786A
Tech ID: SD 14046.0
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
Data from Derwent World Patents Index, provided by Clarivate
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