Harnessing and controlling radiative thermal energy continues to be a pressing scientific and technological challenge , touching upon applications as diverse as molecular spectroscopy and bio-medical sensing, as well as enhancing energy conversion efficacy of solar cells. A blackbody remains the quintessential example of a thermal-to-radiative energy converter, however, even in its idealized state its utility is limited by a broad spectral energy distribution, dictated solely by its temperature. Yet, exerting greater control over radiated energy holds considerable unfulfilled promise . For example, spectrally confining thermal radiation to a specific atmospheric transmission window has potential for facilitating the Earth's cooling, similar to how thermo-photovoltaic devices can benefit from a greater conversion efficiency when selective emitters are employed . In contrast to such relatively broadband cooling-directed applications, chemical sensors require narrowband radiation tuned to a particular molecular vibrational mode to enable high selectivity and sensitivity detection. Sensors at the telecommunication spectral window at near-IR are especially appealing due to capabilities to integrate them into CMOS (complementary metaloxide-semiconductor) platform. Hence, development of a thermal radiation emitter with spectral behaviour controlled more rigorously than lamp sources, and more affordable and ambient temperature compatible than quantum cascade lasers, is in considerable demand .