Wavelength-selective absorption metasurface for infrared stealth

Wavelength-selective absorption infrared metamaterials hold significant potential for applications in infrared stealth, radiative cooling, and infrared detection. However, the diversity of material combinations and structural designs complicates the realization of ideal metasurfaces. In this work, we propose a broadband infrared stealth metamaterial absorber based on a double-layer metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure to achieve selective absorption in infrared bands. Simulation analysis of the radiative properties and absorption mechanisms of a single-peak MIM absorber was conducted, and prototypes fabricated via micro-nano processing were tested, showing results consistent with simulations and validating the design rationality. The optimized multilayer metasurface exhibited an average absorptivity of only 17.2% within the infrared atmospheric windows (3–5 μm and 8–12 μm), while demonstrating high absorption (average 82.7%) with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of approximately 2.9 μm in the non-atmospheric window (5–8 μm), facilitating efficient thermal exchange. Under TE-polarized light incidence, the spectral absorption peak remained stable within 0–50° angles, while under TM-polarized light incidence, the absorption band maintained good performance up to 35° with negligible peak attenuation and minimal FWHM variation, confirming the metasurface’s superior wide-angle absorption characteristics. The proposed metasurface absorber contributes to nanophotonic device fabrication, provides insights into structural design for infrared stealth metamaterials, and exhibits broad application prospects in spectrally selective thermal management, infrared stealth, and thermal camouflage.