Tunable Metasurface Absorbers

该项目的目标是开发可调的超表面，可以与光伏设备、探测器和传感器集成，以提高性能。具体来说，将研究用于电磁器件在红外和太赫兹波段有效和波段选择性吸收的可调谐超材料。特别感兴趣的是研究基于辐射的能量转移和恢复。我们将提供高质量的科学研究培训，确保学生在电磁超材料，器件制造，光伏和材料物理方面发展技能。这些技能可以转化为令人兴奋的应用机会，包括可再生能源系统开发和光电子器件的超材料设计。这些应用程序是该部门工业资助项目的一部分，该项目是对这些努力的补充。该项目的成果和获得的技能可以与工业伙伴合作进一步发展。光子的有效吸收是决定光伏发电机性能的第一步。通常，材料的可用性限制了吸收效率并决定了特定波段。利用超表面可以克服对特定材料吸收的依赖，超表面可以与光伏设备集成，以吸收非常规波段的电磁波，以补充现有设备。在这项研究中，将实现具有可调谐吸收带的完美吸收器，用于从微波到光子波段的广泛光谱中的各种应用。虽然特别的重点将是光伏，更广泛的应用在探测器和传感器也将探讨。

The aim of this project is to develop tunable metasurfaces that can be integrated with photovoltaic devices, detectors and sensors for enhanced performance. Specifically, tunable metamaterials for efficient and band selective absorption of electromagnetic devices in infrared and terahertz bands will be researched. A particular interest is to research radiation-based energy transfer and recovery.We will provide high-quality training for conducting scientific research to ensure the student develop skills in electromagnetic metamaterials, device fabrication, photovoltaics, and material physics. The skills can be translated into exciting opportunities in applications including renewable energy system development and metamaterial design for optoelectronic devices. These applications are part of the industrially funded projects at the department, and this project is complementary to these efforts. Outcomes of this project and the obtained skills can be further developed in collaboration with the industrial partners.Efficient absorption of photons is a fundamental first step that sets the performance of photovoltaic generators. Conventionally, the availability of materials restricts the efficiency of absorption and determines the specific bands. Reliance of specific materials for absorption can be overcome using metasurfaces that can be integrated with photovoltaic devices to enable absorption of electromagnetic waves in unconventional bands to complement the current devices. In this research, perfect absorbers with tunable absorption bands will be realised for various applications in a wide spectrum spanning from microwave to photonic bands. Whilst the particular focus will be on photovoltaics, wider applications in detectors and sensors will also be explored.