Zigzag-type metastructures of metallic glass with precisely tunable emissivity for thermal infrared camouflage technology

This study reports a single-layer zigzag-type metallic glass film with precisely tunable emissivity for thermal infrared camouflage technology. A glancing-angle deposition method was used to fabricate the zigzag-type structure. According to the infrared lossy characteristics of metallic glass and the strong optical anisotropy induced by the zigzag microstructure, the absorptance/emissivity of the film is sensitive to the in-plane rotation angle and sample-tilt angles.

Compared with flat Au and flat metallic glass films, the zigzag-type metallic glass film exhibits a much broader tunability of absorptance/emissivity, ranging from 17.2 % to 67.3 %. By adjusting the φ, θ, and ψ angles, the emissivity can be precisely modulated with 1 % accuracy. Thermal infrared images further demonstrate that the zigzag-type metallic glass film can match the apparent temperature of natural high-emissivity backgrounds such as soil and green leaves.

The apparent temperature similarity between the zigzag-type metallic glass film and the environmental background is greater than 97% at target temperatures from 93  to 260 , indicating effective thermal infrared camouflage performance. These results establish the zigzag-type metallic glass film as a simple, single-layer, and practical platform for precise thermal radiation control, dynamic thermal management, and advanced thermal infrared camouflage applications.

Led by Distinguished Professor Hsuen-Li Chen in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University, researchers demonstrate a simple glancing-angle deposition method for fabricating a zigzag-type structure that induces strong optical anisotropy in the infrared region.

The tunable absorptance/emissivity behavior enables precise control of thermal radiation. These results establish the zigzag-type metallic glass film as a simple, single-layer, and practical platform for dynamic thermal management and advanced thermal infrared camouflage applications. This study was published and highlighted on the Front Cover of Materials Horizons.

Corresponding author Prof. Hsuen-Li Chen’s email address: [email protected]