# US 10,481,305 B2 · Visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber and its preparation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,305 B2 - Document ID: US10481305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/329,569 - Filed: 2015-09-21 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-04 - Assignees: Zhejiang University - Applicants: Zhejiang University - Inventors: Weidong Shen; Chenying Yang; Yueguang Zhang; Bo Fang; Xu Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481305B2 ## CPC - G02B 5/003: {Light absorbing elements} - B32B 9/00: Layered products comprising a {layer of a} particular substance not covered by groups B32B11/00 - B32B29/00 - B32B 15/00: Layered products comprising {a layer of} metal - G02B 1/115: Multilayers - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract The present invention discloses a visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber and its preparation method, comprising a substrate and a five-layer optical film, wherein the bottom film is a bottom metal absorbing layer; a top germanium layer is provided on the top of the bottom metal absorbing layer; and remaining three layers are provided on the top of the top germanium layer with gradually decreasing refractive indexes from the bottom to the top. The present invention is based on the blocking effect of the metal absorbing layer and broadband anti-reflection film stack of the germanium layer, which has realized visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorption with high efficiency and good angle insensitivity, and has fully surpassed traditional absorbers in terms of performances. Compared with conventional broadband absorbers and artificial electromagnetic absorbers proposed in recent years, the compact multilayer film structure in the present invention is simpler and avoids complicated nano-fabrication techniques. Therefore, it can significantly reduce production cost and shorten the production cycle, and is thus suitable for large-scale mass production. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber, comprising a substrate, characterized in that a bottom metal absorbing layer, a top germanium layer and a three-layer broadband anti-reflection coating are provided sequentially above the substrate; and the three-layer broadband anti-reflection coating respectively comprises a bottom layer, an intermediate layer and an outmost layer sequentially above the top germanium layer with gradually decreasing refractive indexes; and further characterized in that an alternating film layer for the germanium/metal absorbing layer is provided between the bottom metal absorbing layer and the top germanium layer; and the alternating film layer is made up of one or several germanium/metal absorbing layer units, in which the germanium layer is arranged close to the bottom metal absorbing layer; wherein the bottom layer is silicon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the substrate is selected from K9, fused silica, float glass, silicon and gallium arsenide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the bottom metal absorbing layer is selected from chromium, titanium, iridium, tungsten, nickel and their alloy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the material of the metal absorbing layer in the alternating film layer for the germanium/metal absorbing layer is identical to that of the bottom metal absorbing layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thickness of the bottom metal absorbing layer is greater than or equal to 100 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that thickness of the bottom metal absorbing layer is 100 nm-500 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thickness of the top germanium layer is 10 nm-40 nm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thickness of each layer in the alternating film layer for the germanium/metal absorbing layer is 10 nm-80 nm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that in the alternating film layer for the germanium/metal absorbing layer: thickness of the germanium layer and metal absorbing layer is 33 nm-80 nm and 10 nm-40 nm respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate layer is selected from titanium dioxide, hafnium oxide, tantalum oxide and silicon nitride; and the outmost layer is selected from magnesium fluoride, silicon dioxide and yttrium fluoride. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that thickness of the bottom layer, the intermediate layer and the outmost layer is 10 nm-40 nm, 30 nm-80 nm and 70 nm-130 nm respectively. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the bottom layer, the intermediate layer and the outmost layer is silicon, titanium dioxide and magnesium fluoride respectively. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the bottom layer, the intermediate layer and the outmost layer is silicon, titanium dioxide and magnesium fluoride respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A preparation method for the visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the following steps are comprised: (1) obtaining thicknesses of each layer of film through optimal design according to specified requirements for bandwidth and absorption of the absorber, and determining satisfactory multilayer stack; (2) putting the substrate into acetone for ultrasonic cleaning and cleaning it with ethanol; then, putting the substrate into ethanol for ultrasonic cleaning and cleaning it with deionized water; finally, putting the substrate into deionized water for ultrasonic cleaning and cleaning it with deionized water again; (3) depositing each film layer with vacuum coating and obtaining the visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The preparation method for the visible near-infrared ultra-broadband absorber as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the duration of each ultrasonic cleaning in step (2) is 5-30 min.