Thermal Radiation Element With Direct MIM Heating for Energy Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for heating the MIM structure in thermal radiation elements are inefficient due to the larger heat capacity of the substrate compared to the MIM structure, leading to suboptimal energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A thermal radiation element with a configuration of a substrate made of an insulator and a plasmonic perfect absorber, where a conductor layer is provided with electrodes for in-plane current flow, reducing the substrate's role as a heat source and enhancing energy efficiency by minimizing heat transfer to the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the substrate is used as a heat source to heat the MIM structure, then the MIM structure reaches operating temperature, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to the substrate's larger heat capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the substrate and relocates it to the MIM structure itself by providing electrodes directly on the MIM structure. This allows independent heating of the MIM structure without requiring the entire substrate to reach operating temperature, thereby resolving the energy efficiency problem caused by the substrate's large heat capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the heating function from the substrate by introducing separate heating electrodes on the MIM structure. This segmentation enables selective heating of only the MIM structure rather than heating the entire substrate assembly, improving energy efficiency by avoiding the thermal mass of the substrate.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the substrate thickness is increased, then structural stability is improved, but heat capacity increases leading to worse energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the substrate, allowing the substrate to maintain its structural stability with adequate thickness while the MIM structure is heated independently through its own electrodes. This separation enables the substrate to be optimized for mechanical stability without compromising energy efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The configuration allows for higher energy efficiency by heating the MIM structure directly, reducing energy loss through the substrate, and enabling the emission of electromagnetic waves with adjustable wavelengths.
Implementation Method 1
a first conductor layer covering at least a part of one main surface of the substrate, an insulator layer, and a second conductor layer are laminated in this order... the first conductor layer is provided with electrodes through which a current flows
Implementation Method 2
Thermal radiation is a phenomenon in which thermal energy of an object, such as a blackbody or MIM structure, is emitted as electromagnetic waves according to a temperature of the object
Implementation Method 3
The plasmonic perfect absorber has a high absorptance in a specific wavelength band, among plasmonic structures. The plasmonic perfect absorber is a resonator structure in which a conductor, an insulator, and a conductor are stacked
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal radiation element includes a substrate; and a plasmonic perfect absorber in which a first conductor layer covering one main surface of the substrate, an insulator layer, and a second conductor layer are laminated in this order, in which the first conductor layer is provided with electrodes through which a current flows in an in-plane direction of a main surface of the first conductor layer.