Quasi-coherent thermal radiation with multiple resonant plasmonic cavities

This paper proposes a 1D plasmonic multilayer structure as a high-contrast mid-infrared thermal emitter with three distinct resonant wavelengths. The three resonance modes, based on the localized surface plasmon, provide an omnidirectional thermal emission. The emissivity spectrum reveals high polarization and strongly angle-independent properties. The resonance-assisted emissivity can be as high as 19.5 dB relative to off-resonant sideband emissivity. Such extremely low sideband emissivity makes the proposed plasmonic thermal emitter an efficient, high-contrast emitter, which will be useful for thermophotovoltaic and thermal sensing applications.