A highly absorptive ultra-wideband nanoscale metamaterial absorber for solar energy harvesting from ultraviolet to Infrared spectrum

This paper introduces a metamaterial absorber (MMA) with a unique design, exhibiting exceptional absorption capabilities across a wide range of wavelengths including ultraviolet, visible, and infrared. The MMA unit cell, measuring 1000 × 1000 × 165 nm³, utilizes tungsten for resonating patch and ground layers, while Quartz performs as the substrate. The design enables absorption peaks of 99.80 %, 95.26 %, and 94 % at 423 nm, 666 nm, and 835 nm wavelengths correspondingly. The study delves into the absorption mechanism by examining the electric field, magnetic field, surface current, and effective parameter analysis. The MMA exhibits polarization insensitivity from 0° to 60° in both transverse electric and magnetic modes with minimal cross-polarization effects verified through polarization conversion ratio analysis. Including 90.08 % average absorption for a bandwidth of 516 nm spanning from ultraviolet to infrared spectra and a solar absorption efficiency of 90.05 %, this MMA holds promise for applications in solar energy harvesting.