1
|
Mascaretti L, Chen Y, Henrotte O, Yesilyurt O, Shalaev VM, Naldoni A, Boltasseva A. Designing Metasurfaces for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:4079-4103. [PMID: 38145171 PMCID: PMC10740004 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Metasurfaces have recently emerged as a promising technological platform, offering unprecedented control over light by structuring materials at the nanoscale using two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength nanoresonators. These metasurfaces possess exceptional optical properties, enabling a wide variety of applications in imaging, sensing, telecommunication, and energy-related fields. One significant advantage of metasurfaces lies in their ability to manipulate the optical spectrum by precisely engineering the geometry and material composition of the nanoresonators' array. Consequently, they hold tremendous potential for efficient solar light harvesting and conversion. In this Review, we delve into the current state-of-the-art in solar energy conversion devices based on metasurfaces. First, we provide an overview of the fundamental processes involved in solar energy conversion, alongside an introduction to the primary classes of metasurfaces, namely, plasmonic and dielectric metasurfaces. Subsequently, we explore the numerical tools used that guide the design of metasurfaces, focusing particularly on inverse design methods that facilitate an optimized optical response. To showcase the practical applications of metasurfaces, we present selected examples across various domains such as photovoltaics, photoelectrochemistry, photocatalysis, solar-thermal and photothermal routes, and radiative cooling. These examples highlight the ways in which metasurfaces can be leveraged to harness solar energy effectively. By tailoring the optical properties of metasurfaces, significant advancements can be expected in solar energy harvesting technologies, offering new practical solutions to support an emerging sustainable society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Mascaretti
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Electronics, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical
Engineering, Czech Technical University
in Prague, Břehová
7, 11519 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yuheng Chen
- Elmore
Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology
Center, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- The
Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science
Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37931, United States
| | - Olivier Henrotte
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Omer Yesilyurt
- Elmore
Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology
Center, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- The
Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science
Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37931, United States
| | - Vladimir M. Shalaev
- Elmore
Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology
Center, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- The
Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science
Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37931, United States
| | - Alberto Naldoni
- Department
of Chemistry and NIS Centre, University
of Turin, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Alexandra Boltasseva
- Elmore
Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Birck Nanotechnology
Center, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- The
Quantum Science Center (QSC), a National Quantum Information Science
Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37931, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Afshar M, Schirato A, Mascaretti L, Hejazi SMH, Shahrezaei M, Della Valle G, Fornasiero P, Kment Š, Alabastri A, Naldoni A. Nanoporous Titanium Oxynitride Nanotube Metamaterials with Deep Subwavelength Heat Dissipation for Perfect Solar Absorption. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:3291-3301. [PMID: 37743938 PMCID: PMC10515634 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c00731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
We report a quasi-unitary broadband absorption over the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared range in spaced high aspect ratio, nanoporous titanium oxynitride nanotubes, an ideal platform for several photothermal applications. We explain such an efficient light-heat conversion in terms of localized field distribution and heat dissipation within the nanopores, whose sparsity can be controlled during fabrication. The extremely large heat dissipation could not be explained in terms of effective medium theories, which are typically used to describe small geometrical features associated with relatively large optical structures. A fabrication-process-inspired numerical model was developed to describe a realistic space-dependent electric permittivity distribution within the nanotubes. The resulting abrupt optical discontinuities favor electromagnetic dissipation in the deep sub-wavelength domains generated and can explain the large broadband absorption measured in samples with different porosities. The potential application of porous titanium oxynitride nanotubes as solar absorbers was explored by photothermal experiments under moderately concentrated white light (1-12 Suns). These findings suggest potential interest in realizing solar-thermal devices based on such simple and scalable metamaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Afshar
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Schirato
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Istituto
Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163, Genoa, Italy
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Luca Mascaretti
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
| | - S. M. Hossein Hejazi
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
- CEET, Nanotechnology
Centre, VŠB-Technical University
of Ostrava, 17 Listopadu
2172/15, Ostrava-Poruba 708 00, Czech Republic
| | - Mahdi Shahrezaei
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Giuseppe Della Valle
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Istituto
di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, I-20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Fornasiero
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, INSTM and ICCOM-CNR, University of Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 1, Trieste 34127, Italy
| | - Štěpán Kment
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
- CEET, Nanotechnology
Centre, VŠB-Technical University
of Ostrava, 17 Listopadu
2172/15, Ostrava-Poruba 708 00, Czech Republic
| | - Alessandro Alabastri
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Alberto Naldoni
- Czech
Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Regional Centre of Advanced
Technologies and Materials Department, Palacký
University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 78371, Czech Republic
- Department
of Chemistry and NIS Centre, University
of Turin, Turin 10125, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Negrín-Montecelo Y, Geneidy AHA, Govorov AO, Alvarez-Puebla RA, Besteiro LV, Correa-Duarte MA. Balancing Near-Field Enhancement and Hot Carrier Injection: Plasmonic Photocatalysis in Energy-Transfer Cascade Assemblies. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:3310-3320. [PMID: 37743943 PMCID: PMC10516266 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c00733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Photocatalysis stands as a very promising alternative to photovoltaics in exploiting solar energy and storing it in chemical products through a single-step process. A central obstacle to its broad implementation is its low conversion efficiency, motivating research in different fields to bring about a breakthrough in this technology. Using plasmonic materials to photosensitize traditional semiconductor photocatalysts is a popular strategy whose full potential is yet to be fully exploited. In this work, we use CdS quantum dots as a bridge system, reaping energy from Au nanostructures and delivering it to TiO2 nanoparticles serving as catalytic centers. The quantum dots can do this by becoming an intermediate step in a charge-transfer cascade initiated in the plasmonic system or by creating an electron-hole pair at an improved rate due to their interaction with the enhanced near-field created by the plasmonic nanoparticles. Our results show a significant acceleration in the reaction upon combining these elements in hybrid colloidal photocatalysts that promote the role of the near-field enhancement effect, and we show how to engineer complexes exploiting this approach. In doing so, we also explore the complex interplay between the different mechanisms involved in the photocatalytic process, highlighting the importance of the Au nanoparticles' morphology in their photosensitizing capabilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoel Negrín-Montecelo
- Department
of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, Universitat
Rovira i Virgili, Carrer de Marcel•lí Domingo s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | | | - Alexander O. Govorov
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, United States
| | - Ramon A. Alvarez-Puebla
- Department
of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, Universitat
Rovira i Virgili, Carrer de Marcel•lí Domingo s/n, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- ICREA, Passeig Lluís
Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucas V. Besteiro
- CINBIO,
University of Vigo, Campus
Universitario de Vigo, Lagoas Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Correa-Duarte
- CINBIO,
University of Vigo, Campus
Universitario de Vigo, Lagoas Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Southern
Galicia Institute of Health Research (IISGS) and Biomedical Research
Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| |
Collapse
|