Abstract:
Flexible near perfect optical absorbers have many applications in the
field of photovoltaic, energy harvesting and defence technologies. Even though
flexible absorber coatings can be easily applied on the curved surfaces with
complex geometry, the experimental realization of such absorbers having high
absorption capacity in the broadband range is a challenging task. Here, we report
the design and fabrication of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based optically
graded thin (total thickness - 750 ȝP) aVVePbl\ Zhich VhRZV QeaU SeUfecW
absorption (95%) in the wavelength range of 300 to 2000 nm. The observed high
absorbing capacity may be attributed to the presence of multiscale feature size
in optically graded assembly which leads to efficient light trapping and multiple
scattering of incident beam. The multilayer assembly comprises layers of PDMS
reinforced with iron, zinc oxide (ZnO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In
addition to this, detailed fracture mechanism of fabricated absorber is studied.
Moreover, contact angle study of fabricated thin film structure reveals that it is
not only a near perfect absorber but also hydrophobic in nature. The ease of
fabrication process combined with the excellent properties shown by the
multilayer flexible assembly makes it an attractive option for industrial
applications.
