title: Hydrogen sensing via anomalous optical absorption of palladium-based metamaterials.
abstract: A palladium (Pd)-based optical metamaterial has been designed, fabricated and characterized for its application in hydrogen sensing. The metamaterial can replace Pd thin films in optical transmission schemes for sensing with performances far superior to those of conventional sensors. This artificial material consists of a palladium-alumina metamaterial fabricated using inexpensive and industrial-friendly bottom-up techniques. During the exposure to hydrogen, the system exhibits anomalous optical absorption when compared to the well-known response of Pd thin films, this phenomenon being the key factor for the sensor sensitivity. The exposure to hydrogen produces a large variation in the light transmission through the metamembrane (more than 30% with 4% in volume hydrogen-nitrogen gas mixture at room temperature and atmospheric pressure), thus avoiding the need for sophisticated optical detection systems. An optical homogenization model is proposed to explain the metamaterial response. These results contribute to the development of reliable and low-cost hydrogen sensors with potential applications in the hydrogen economy and industrial processes to name a few, and also open the door to optically study the hydrogen diffusion processes in Pd nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: IFIMUP and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Rua Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. INESC-TEC (Coordinated by INESC-Porto), Rua Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hierro-Rodriguez
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rocha-Rodrigues
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: P A S
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guerreiro