Tunable Terahertz Metamaterials

COFFEE_KLATCH · Invited

Abstract

In recent years terahertz (1 THz = $10^{12}$ Hz) technology has become an optimistic candidate for numerous sensing, imaging, and diagnostic applications. Nevertheless, THz technology still suffers from a deficiency in high-power sources, efficient detectors, and other functional devices ubiquitous in neighboring microwave and infrared frequency bands, such as amplifiers, modulators, and switches. One of the greatest obstacles in this progress is the lack of materials that naturally respond well to THz radiation. The potential of metamaterials for THz applications originates from their resonant electromagnetic response, which significantly enhances their interaction with THz radiation. Thus, metamaterials offer a route towards helping to fill the so-called ``THz gap.'' In this work we present a series of novel planar THz metamaterials. Importantly, the critical dependence of the resonant response on the supporting substrate and/or the fabricated structure enables the creation of active THz metamaterial devices. We show that the resonant response can be controlled using optical or electrical approaches, enabling efficient THz switches and modulators which will be of importance for advancing numerous real world THz applications.

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Authors

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines