Perfect narrow-band absorber based on a monolayer of metallodielectric microspheres

We have studied how two-dimensional arrays of metallodielectric core-shell microspheres on a metal substrate can efficiently absorb infrared electromagnetic radiation in a narrow wavelength range under normal incidence. Our simulations indicate that perfect absorption efficiencies can be achieved for resonance wavelengths. The influence of core-shell microspheres geometry and lattice geometry is studied on absorption properties. For wavelength from 1.2 μm to 2.6 μm, an optimal combination of sphere and core radius was obtained to provide perfect absorption which can be wavelength adjusted. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC

Controlling thermal emission with refractory epsilon-near-zero metamaterials via topological transitions

Control of thermal radiation at high temperatures is vital for waste heat recovery and for high-efficiency thermophotovoltaic (TPV) conversion. Previously, structural resonances utilizing gratings, thin film resonances, metasurfaces and photonic crystals were used to spectrally control thermal emission, often requiring lithographic structuring of the surface and causing significant angle dependence. In contrast, here, we demonstrate a refractory W-HfO2 metamaterial, which controls thermal emission through an engineered dielectric response function. The epsilon-near-zero frequency of a metamaterial and the connected optical topological transition (OTT) are adjusted to selectively enhance and suppress the thermal emission in the near-infrared spectrum, crucial for improved TPV efficiency. The near-omnidirectional and spectrally selective emitter is obtained as the emission changes due to material properties and not due to resonances or interference effects, marking a paradigm shift in thermal engineering approaches. We experimentally demonstrate the OTT in a thermally stable metamaterial at high temperatures of 1,000 °C

Tungsten band edge absorber/emitter based on a monolayer of ceramic microspheres

We report on a band edge absorber/emitter design for high temperature applications based on an unstructured tungsten substrate and a monolayer of ceramic microspheres. The absorber was fabricated as a monolayer of ZrO2 microparticles on a tungsten layer with a HfO2 nanocoating. The band edge of the absorption is based on critically coupled microsphere resonances. It can be tuned from visible to near-infrared range by varying the diameter of the microparticles. The absorption properties were found to be stable up to 1000°C

Comparative Study of the Aftereffect of CO2 Inhalation or Tiletamine–Zolazepam–Xylazine Anesthesia on Laboratory Outbred Rats and Mice

CO2 inhalation is currently the most common method of euthanasia for laboratory rats and mice, and it is often used for further terminal blood sampling for clinical biochemical assays. Lately, this method has been criticized due to animal welfare issues associated with some processes that develop after CO2 inhalation. The stress reaction and the value of the clinical laboratory parameters significantly depend on the used anesthetics, method, and the site of blood sampling. Especially in small rodents, an acute terminal state followed by a cascade of metabolic reactions that can affect the studied biochemical profile may develop and cause unnecessary suffering of animals. The aim of this study was to compare the stability of biochemical parameters of outbred Sprague Dawley rats and CD-1 mice serum collected after CO2 inhalation or the intramuscular injection of tiletamine–zolazepam–xylazine (TZX). The serum content of total protein and albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotr ansferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, and creatinine was decreased by the injection of TZX in comparison with CO2 inhalation. In addition, the levels of calcium, phosphates, chlorides and potassium were lowered by TZX vs. CO2 administration, while the level of sodium increased. Finally, the level of the majority of serum clinical biochemical parameters in rats and mice tend to be overestimated after CO2 inhalation, which may lead to masking the possible effect of anti-inflammatory drugs in animal tests. Injection anesthesia for small rodents with TZX is a more feasible method for terminal blood sampling, which also reduces the suffering of animals

Advancing the fabrication of YSZ-inverse photonic glasses for broadband omnidirectional reflector films

A single-step and all-colloidal deposition method to fabricate yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-inverse photonic glasses with 3 μm pores was developed. The process is based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion in suspension, controlled by surface charge of polystyrene (PS)microspheres and YSZ nanoparticles, used as pore templates and matrix material, respectively. The pH was used as a tool to change surface charges and particle-particle interactions. Photonic glass films with 3 μm pores yielded broadband omnidirectional reflection over the wavelengths of 1–5 μm, relevant for thermal radiation at temperatures around 1200 °C. These highly porous materials maintained their structural stability and reflectance after being annealed at 1200 °C for 120 h

Yttria-stabilized zirconia microspheres: Novel building blocks for high-temperature photonics

Zirconia-based ceramics cover a huge variety of applications, including refractories, electro- and bioceramics, fuel cells, catalysts, and many more. For various photonic applications considered for energy systems and heat management, zirconia microspheres are interesting building blocks due to their high refractive index, as well as their chemical and mechanical robustness. However, instabilities caused by thermally-induced phase transitions and grain growth at temperatures above ∼1000 °C preclude high-temperature applications of pure zirconia particles. Here, we present a synthetic route for yttria-stabilized zirconia microparticles with significantly improved thermal stability. With these particles we conducted the first study on their thermal stability as a function of the yttrium content and at temperatures up to 1500 °C. Using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, the optimum Y content was determined to be 8-10%, which was marked by stabilization of the tetragonal or cubic phase and significantly attenuated grain growth. Furthermore, with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 μm, the particles covered a size range perfectly suited for photonic applications in the IR spectral range. To demonstrate this, photonic glass coatings were prepared with these particles and their IR reflectivity and microstructural stability was studied after subjecting them to various heating cycles. While heating beyond 1200 °C led to failure and delamination of undoped particle films, films doped with 6 and 10% Y displayed quite stable broadband IR reflection of up to 80% in the wavelength range from 1-5 μm, even after prolonged heating at 1400 °C. A detailed analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that prolonged heating at 1400 °C resulted in phase decomposition due to Y segregation into Y-lean and Y-rich domains, confirming the presence of the solute-drag effect

Facile Deposition of YSZ-Inverse Photonic Glass Films

An alternative all-colloidal and single-step deposition method of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-infiltrated polymeric photonic glass films is presented. Heterocoagulation of oppositely charged polystyrene (PS) microspheres and YSZ nanocrystals in aqueous dispersions created PS/YSZ core–shell spheres. These composite particles were deposited on glass substrates by a simple drop-coating process. Heterocoagulation impaired self-assembly of the particles, resulting in a disordered structure. Burn-out of the polymer yielded a random array of YSZ shells. The effect of the filling fraction of YSZ between these shells was explored. YSZ-inverse photonic glass films with a thickness below 40 μm achieved 70% reflectance of the incident radiation over a broad wavelength range between 0.4 and 2.2 μm. The YSZ structures demonstrated structural stability up to 1000 °C and maintained high reflectance up to 1200 °C for several hours, thus enabling applications as broadband reflectors at elevated temperatures

Bottom-up Fabrication of Multilayer Stacks of 3D Photonic Crystals from Titanium Dioxide

A strategy for stacking multiple ceramic 3D photonic crystals is developed. Periodically structured porous films are produced by vertical convective self-assembly of polystyrene (PS) microspheres. After infiltration of the opaline templates by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of titania and thermal decomposition of the polystyrene matrix, a ceramic 3D photonic crystal is formed. Further layers with different sizes of pores are deposited subsequently by repetition of the process. The influence of process parameters on morphology and photonic properties of double and triple stacks is systematically studied. Prolonged contact of amorphous titania films with warm water during self-assembly of the successive templates is found to result in exaggerated roughness of the surfaces re-exposed to ALD. Random scattering on rough internal surfaces disrupts ballistic transport of incident photons into deeper layers of the multistacks. Substantially smoother interfaces are obtained by calcination of the structure after each infiltration, which converts amorphous titania into the crystalline anatase before resuming the ALD infiltration. High quality triple stacks consisting of anatase inverse opals with different pore sizes are demonstrated for the first time. The elaborated fabrication method shows promise for various applications demanding broadband dielectric reflectors or titania photonic crystals with a long mean free path of photons