Memristor of Tunable IR Emissivity Based on ITO/WO₃/Au

Abstract

A device that can dynamically control the reflection, transmission, and absorption of infrared thermal radiation is essential for the development of a broad range of infrared (IR) technologies. However, realizing efficient thermal emission regulation is challenging due to the inherent complexity or limitation in traditional radiative materials or structures. Here, we design a memristor-type, tunable IR emissivity device composed of an indium tin oxide/tungsten trioxide/gold (ITO/WO 3 /Au) nanoscale multilayer structure. The device exhibits resonant characteristics in optics and memristive behavior in electronics, as evidenced by the results of both optical and electrical analyses. The emissivity variation of the proposed device is 0.32 in the range of 2.5–25 μm. Moreover, a transparent memristor-type device was fabricated and combined with a V 2 O 5 –WO 3 -based electrochromic device to decouple the IR emissivity and visible color, enabling tunable visible-infrared compatible applications. This investigation will provide a novel nanoscale design approach for dynamic thermal emission control in fundamental science and can significantly benefit a number of applications, including energy-efficient thermoregulation, information encryption, thermal signature masking, and radiative cooling.