An infrared emitter comprising a metalized membrane, emitting infrared light in operation, characterized in that - said membrane comprises a first surface and a second surface, parallel to said first surface, said membrane comprising a two dimensional array of through-holes, each of said through-holes extending from said first surface to said second surface; - said membrane is arranged on a membrane support, said membrane and said membrane support are made of a material that is resistant to temperatures higher than 400 °C; - said through-holes are arranged as a two-dimensional periodic array, any cross section of said through-holes having a maximum dimension smaller than any wavelength of the emitted infrared spectrum of said infrared light; - a first metal layer is arranged on at least a portion of said first surface and a second metal layer is arranged on at least a portion of said second surface, said first metal layer and said second metal layer comprising each a two-dimensional through-hole array aligned and facing said two dimensional periodic array of said membrane; - a portion of said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer is deposited at least partially on the wall of at least one through-hole of said two -dimensional array, - said first metal layer or said second metal layer are connected to an electrical current source; - the at least one of said first metal layer or said second metal layer is adapted to emit infrared light in response to resistive heating caused by the introduction of electrical current in said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer, said infrared light having a infrared spectrum which is determined in response to the decay of plasmons in said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer; - said infrared emitter is arranged to provide at least an emitted infrared light beam to the side of said first surface and in a direction opposite to said second surface, said infrared light beam having wavelengths higher than 700nm and having an angular distribution smaller than a Lambertian distribution; - said infrared emitter comprises modulation means arranged so that said emitted infrared light beam may be modulated in intensity with a frequency higher than 10Hz, preferably higher than 20Hz, even more preferably higher than 50Hz. - said membrane comprises a first surface and a second surface, parallel to said first surface, said membrane comprising a two dimensional array of through-holes, each of said through-holes extending from said first surface to said second surface; - said membrane is arranged on a membrane support, said membrane and said membrane support are made of a material that is resistant to temperatures higher than 400 °C; - said through-holes are arranged as a two-dimensional periodic array, any cross section of said through-holes having a maximum dimension smaller than any wavelength of the emitted infrared spectrum of said infrared light; - a first metal layer is arranged on at least a portion of said first surface and a second metal layer is arranged on at least a portion of said second surface, said first metal layer and said second metal layer comprising each a two-dimensional through-hole array aligned and facing said two dimensional periodic array of said membrane; - a portion of said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer is deposited at least partially on the wall of at least one through-hole of said two -dimensional array, - said first metal layer or said second metal layer are connected to an electrical current source; - the at least one of said first metal layer or said second metal layer is adapted to emit infrared light in response to resistive heating caused by the introduction of electrical current in said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer, said infrared light having a infrared spectrum which is determined in response to the decay of plasmons in said first metal layer and/or said second metal layer; - said infrared emitter is arranged to provide at least an emitted infrared light beam to the side of said first surface and in a direction opposite to said second surface, said infrared light beam having wavelengths higher than 700nm and having an angular distribution smaller than a Lambertian distribution; - said infrared emitter comprises modulation means arranged so that said emitted infrared light beam may be modulated in intensity with a frequency higher than 10Hz, preferably higher than 20Hz, even more preferably higher than 50Hz.