Broadband absorption of solar light is a key aspect in many applications that involve an efficient conversion of solar energy to heat. Titanium nitride (TiN)-based materials, in the form of periodic arrays of nanostructures or multilayers, can promote significant heat generation upon illumination thanks to their efficient light absorption and refractory character. In this work, pulsed laser deposition was chosen as a synthesis technique to shift metallic bulk-like TiN to nanoparticle-assembled hierarchical oxynitride (TiOxNy) films by increasing the background gas deposition pressure. The nanoporous hierarchical films exhibit a tree-like morphology, a strong broadband solar absorption (∼90% from the UV to the near-infrared range), and could generate temperatures of ∼475 °C under moderate light concentration (17 Suns). The high heat generation achieved by treelike films is ascribed to their porous morphology, nanocrystalline structure, and oxynitride composition, which overall contribute to a superior light trapping and dissipation to heat. These properties pave the way for the implementation of such films as solar absorber structures.

Center for Nano Science and Via Giovanni Pascoli 70 3 20133 Milano Italy

Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Palacký University Olomouc Šlechtitelů 27 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux CNRS Université Sorbonne Paris Nord 93430 Villetaneuse France

Micro and Nanostructured Materials Laboratory Department of Energy Politecnico di Milano Via Ponzio 34 3 20133 Milano Italy

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