Highly efficient metamaterial solar energy absorber from UV to NIR regime
Abstract
-Ge cube array atop a Ge-Cr base film. The geometric parameters were optimized using a hybrid particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gradient descent algorithm. The resulting absorber exhibits a simulated average absorption of 95.1%, which is matched by a measured average absorption of 84.1% across the ultraviolet to near-infrared spectrum (200-2000 nm). The simulated absorber exhibits a 90% absorption bandwidth of 1413 nm (587-2000 nm), along with polarization insensitivity and excellent angular stability under both TE and TM modes. Furthermore, quantitative analysis reveals a high solar-weighted absorption of 91.8%. Finally, the efficient generation of photoelectrons and hot carriers-facilitated by the Ge and Cr layers, respectively-highlights the device's potential for applications in solar energy harvesting, photodetection, and photothermal conversion.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
solar cell performance optimization
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Optics Letters
- Publisher
- Optica Publishing Group
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1275–1275
- Publication date
- 17 February 2026
- Language
- EN