Modelling a near perfect temperature tunable multiband VO2 based photonic-plasmonic absorber within visible and near infrared spectra

Abstract

This work demonstrates thermal and optical stability with multiple near perfect absorption in a polarizing sensitive one-dimensional vanadium dioxide (VO2) graphene-based nanocomposite plasmonic structure within visible to infrared region (IR). Proposed structure in each phase of VO2 has multiple perfect optical absorption peaks within visible range with a Q-factor near ∼45 which leads the structure to work like an optical switch. An increase in absorption is achieved through plasmonic polaritons of a nearby Ag thin layer directly or through photonic crystal. The temperature turnability of VO2 leads the proposed structure a tunable optical absorber with a hysteresis loop from low to nearly perfect absorbance spectrum. The octonacci quasi periodic proposed structure has highest multiple perfect absorber spectrum comparing other photonic sequences. The peaks of absorption have blue shifted with an increase in volume fraction in both phases. The optical absorption of the structure in metal phase mode alters from wide band to multiple narrow bands with the increment of permittivity of the host composite material within the 1000–1600 nm range. The absorption maximizes in TE mode comparing TM mode due to polarization sensitivity. The structure with optimal thickness and volume mixing ratio in composite has temperature dependency with a thin layer of VO2 has ∼90% absorption. The absorption of the structure can be tuned in both heat and cool mode function of the phase change material (PCM) at an optimum frequency within visible to IR spectrum. These thermal bistable activities may enhance the optical features of the devices.