Spectrally Selective Solar Absorbers based on Ta:SiO₂ Cermets for Next-Generation Concentrated Solar–Thermal Applications

An iterative algorithm is used to design a spectrally selective thin-film stack to provide maximum solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency at the very high operating temperatures associated with high solar concentrations. The resulting stack is then fabricated by magnetron sputtering and characterized. It is composed of two Ta:SiO₂ layers with differing Ta nanoparticle contents on a refractory metal substrate. A SiO₂ antireflecting overlayer completes the stack. Optical and microstructural characterizations indicate that the stack achieves 97.6% solar absorptance up to 900 °C. Spectral selectivity and thermal stability improve on annealing in two ways, first, due to recrystallization of Pt or Ta back reflectors which lowers room temperature thermal emittance to 0.15 from 0.18, and to 0.14 from 0.21, respectively; and second, due to alloying of substrate atoms with the Ta nanoparticles of the cermet.