An Ultra-Low-Power and High-Temperature-Homogeneity Wafer-Scale Infrared Source

Abstract

Non-dispersive infrared gas sensors, renowned for their high selectivity and high reliability, are extensively employed in applications of smart agriculture. In particular, a stable and high-emission infrared source component plays a critical role in the proper functioning of non-dispersive infrared systems. However, current infrared sources usually have shortcomings in poor temperature homogeneity within the active area and low-power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a wafer scale, in situ integrated infrared source combined with an Al@NF-based radiation layer, achieving a high emissivity of 0.8 at 4.26 μm. Through iterative optimization of the microheater pattern, the temperature homogeneity reaches an impressive 90%. In the integrated Al@NF-infrared source sensing system, the power density is reduced from 386.8 to 256.7 mW/mm²; meanwhile, its operational efficiency is increased eighteenfold, from 0.39% to 7.24%. The developed device enables precise tracking of greenhouse gas concentrations under controlled greenhouse conditions. The findings pave the way for low-power non-dispersive infrared systems and provide a new hardware model for smart agriculture.

Keywords

greenhouse gas monitoring / low-power consumption / MEMS infrared source / NDIR gas sensor / wafer-scale

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2026 The Author(s). Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.