Three peak metamaterial broadband absorbing materials based on ZnSe-Cr-InAs stacked disk arrays

Metamaterial absorbers show great potential in many scientific and technological applications by virtue of their sub-wavelength and easy-to-adjust structure, with bandwidth as an important standard to measure the performance of the absorbers. In this study, our team designed a new broadband absorber, which consists of an indium arsenide (InAs) disk at the top, a zinc selenide (ZnSe)-chromium (Cr) stacked disk in the middle and a metal film at the bottom. Simulation results show that the absorber has remarkable absorptivity properties in the mid-long infrared band. In a wavelength range of 5.71-16.01 μm, the average absorptivity is higher than 90%. In the band of 5.86-15.49 μm, the absorptivity is higher than 95%. By simulating the electromagnetic field diagram at each resonant frequency, the reason for high broadband absorptivity is obtained. We also constructed Poynting vector diagrams to further elucidate this phenomenon. Next, we analyzed the influence of different materials and structural parameters on absorptivity properties and tested spectral response at different polarization angles and oblique incidence of the light source in the TM and TE modes. When the source is normally incident, the absorber shows polarization insensitivity. When the angle is 40°, absorptivity is still high, indicating that the absorber also possesses angle insensitivity. The broadband absorber proposed by us has good prospects in infrared detection and thermal radiators.