Infrared processing device

An infrared processing method, comprising:

• providing at least one infrared processing device comprising
• an infrared heater including
• a heating body, and
• a metamaterial structure capable of radiating infrared rays which have a maximum peak of a non-Planck distribution and whose maximum peak has a peak wavelength of 2 μm or more and 7 μm or less when thermal energy is input to the metamaterial structure from the heating body,
• an inner tube that surrounds the infrared heater, which contains at least one of a fluorine-based material having a C—F bond and calcium fluoride, and which transmits infrared rays of the peak wavelength,
• an outer tube that surrounds the inner tube,
• a transmission tune, disposed inside the outer tube and surrounding the inner tube, which contains at least one of a fluorine-based material having a C—F bond and calcium fluoride, and which transmits infrared rays of the peak wavelength,
• an object channel, formed between the transmission tube and the outer tube, through which a processing object flows, and
• a coolant channel, formed between the inner tube and the transmission tube, through which a coolant flows;
• circulating the processing object through the object channel, whereby the processing object passes from a first opening of the object channel, flows through the object channel, passes out of the object channel at a second opening of the object channel, and passes back into the object channel through the first opening, repeatedly;
• and
• irradiating the processing object with infrared radiation during the circulating step,
• wherein, when the peak wavelength of the metamaterial structure is between 5 μm and 7 μm, the coolant is water, and
• wherein, when the peak wavelength of the metamaterial structure is between 2 μm and 5 μm, the coolant is a liquid containing a fluorine-based material having a C—F bond.