High-performance long-wavelength infrared switchable stealth based on In3SbTe2 metasurface

Abstract

Metasurface based on phase change material (PCM) for switchable thermal radiation is of great significance to the application of infrared (IR) stealth and thermal management in multi-scenario. However, the previously reported results based on GST and VO2 metasurface face the challenges of relatively low intrinsic loss in metallic state and weak stability, respectively. In this paper, we have designed a plasmonic metasurface thermal emitter (PMTE) based on the PCM of In3SbTe2 (IST), which can manage the thermal emissivity in the wavelength range of 5–14 μm as the IST changes from the amorphous to the crystalline state. For IST in the amorphous state, the PMTE's average emissivity in the wavelength ranges of 5–8 μm and 8–14 μm, are 0.22 and 0.44 respectively, which can be used for the long-wavelength IR (LWIR) stealth of object with low temperature in high-temperature environment. For IST in the crystalline state, the PMTE's average emissivity in the wavelength ranges of 5–8 μm and 8–14 μm, are 0.68 and 0.14 respectively, which can achieve radiative heat dissipation and LWIR stealth of object with high temperature in low-temperature environment. We displayed simulated infrared images of the PMTE in amorphous and crystalline states to demonstrate its switchable LWIR stealth at different temperatures. In addition, the radiative heat dissipation properties of the PMTE are discussed. Our proposed PMTE based on IST can be potentially applied to IR stealth and thermal management in different scenarios.