Infrared Emissivity for Blackbodies, Cold Shields

Santa Barbara Infrared’s ultra-black surface coating technology improves infrared emissivity in the midwave-infrared (MWIR) and longwave-infrared (LWIR) spectral wavelengths. The high effective emissivity utilizes the Vantablack S-VIS coating from Surrey NanoSystems for blackbody calibration sources and cold shields. In the MWIR (from 3 to 5 um), emissivity is greater than 99.8 percent (± 0.1 percent); in the LWIR (from 8 to 12 um), it is greater than 99.5 percent (± 0.15 percent). Vantablack is the blackest surface coating material for the ultraviolet (UV) to far-infrared (FIR) spectrum. It employs an innovative nanomaterial structure that absorbs virtually all incident light. Developed for space-borne imaging applications, it offers high IR absorption and enhanced thermal, mechanical and environmental stability, making it ideal for the most demanding applications. The new material has already achieved space heritage with its recent deployment on an Earth-observation satellite.