Broadband and high efficiency terahertz metasurfaces for anomalous refraction and vortex beam generation

The applications of metasurfaces are currently a highly active research field due to their extraordinary ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves. The ultra-thin characteristics of metasurfaces allow the miniaturization and integration of metasurface devices. However, these devices work typically under a low efficiency and narrow bandwidth condition. In this work, we design eight multilayered unit cells with similar amplitudes and a phase interval of π/4, which convert the polarization states of the terahertz (THz) waves between two orthogonal directions. The average cross-polarized transmission amplitudes of these cells are all around 0.9 in an ultra-broad frequency range from 0.5 THz to 1.4 THz. Furthermore, unit cells are used to construct both an ultra-thin anomalous refraction metalens and a vortex phase plate. Our simulation results show that the anomalous refraction for the transmitted linear polarization component is comparable to the theoretical prediction, and the maximum error is determined to be below 4.8%. The vortex phase plate can also generate an ideal terahertz vortex beam with a mode purity of 90% and more. The distributions of longitudinal electric field, intensity, and phase illustrate that the generated vortex beam has excellent propagation characteristics and a weak divergence. Simulations of the two types of metasurface devices, based on the eight unit cells, exhibit very high efficiencies in a wide bandwidth. Our research will assist in the improvement in the practical applications of metasurfaces. It also provides a reference for the design of high efficiency and broadband devices that are applied to other frequency ranges.     

亚波长分形结构太赫兹透射增强的机理研究

利用太赫兹时域光谱(terahertz time domain spectroscopy,简称THz-TDS),研究了亚波长金属分形结构在THz波段的透射增强特性.分别从实验和理论两个方面,研究了铜箔上各级分形结构THz透射增强现象的产生机理.结果表明,在低频区的透射增强主要是由低级分形线中电子运动的共振引起的,而高频区的透射增强则主要由高级分形线中电子运动的共振引起的.从而将这种透射增强效应归结为分形结构中电子的共振辐射,即分形结构的局域共振效应. 关键词： 分形 太赫兹 透射 共振峰     

椭圆金环结构的太赫兹透射增强

利用太赫兹时域光谱系统,测量了3种在硅衬底上淀积厚度为100nm金膜的椭圆环阵列结构后,并且分析了各样品在太赫兹波段的透射增强现象及产生机理.结果表明:在整个太赫兹波段,此组结构样品的透射系数均在0.68以上,产生明显的透射增强;当太赫兹波的偏振方向与椭圆环长轴之间的夹角为90°时,3个样品在1.67THz处的共振峰是由于短轴方向的电子形成偶极子振荡与入射太赫兹波进行耦合产生的;夹角为0°时,周期阵列样品无明显共振峰,而分形阵列样品的共振峰则不如斑图阵列样品的明显;样品结构的对称性越差,透射谱的信息越丰富.此外,分析相位差谱也验证了共振增强透射的存在.     

两种半乳糖醇氯化钆配合物的制备与表征

与羟基配位是金属离子的一种重要的存在形式. 我们得到了两种半乳糖醇氯化钆配合物, 其中一种为金属离子与配体为2:1的配合物,钆离子与半乳糖醇的三个羟基及六个水分子配位, 其它水分子以结晶水的形式存在, 氯离子不参加配位;另一种配合物根据红外, 元素分析, 差热热重, 远红外以及太赫兹光谱推测可能是钆离子与两个半乳糖醇分子的六个羟基以及三个水分子配位, 形成1:1配合物. 实验结果说明半乳糖醇与稀土离子之间可以形成多种配合物, 金属离子与糖的羟基存在着复杂的相互作用.     

Terahertz spectroscopy and lattice vibrational analysis of pararealgar and orpiment

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is an effective nondestructive and noninvasive tool for investigating sulfur-containing pigments. Combined with Raman spectroscopy and vibrational mode analysis, it is significant for artifact identification and conservation. In this work, the terahertz absorption spectra of pararealgar (As₄S₄) and orpiment (As₂S₃) samples mixed with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are characterized in a range from 0.2 THz to 2.2 THz, and their distinctive peaks are observed, respectively. Meanwhile, qualitative analysis is also implemented by using Raman spectroscopy as a complementary technique. The lattice vibrations are simulated by using solid-state density functional theory (ss-DFT), illustrating different characteristic absorption peaks for specific crystalline structures and dynamic properties. This work provides a reliable database of sulfur-containing pigments for using the THz technology to actually analyze and diagnose cultural relics.     

Actively tunable dual-broadband graphene-based terahertz metamaterial absorber

A tunable metamaterial absorber (MA) with dual-broadband and high absorption properties at terahertz (THz) frequencies is designed in this work. The MA consists of a periodic array of flower-like monolayer graphene patterns at top, a SiO₂ dielectric spacer in middle, and a gold ground plane at the bottom. The simulation results demonstrate that the designed MA has two wide absorption bands with an absorption of over 90% in frequency ranges of 0.68 THz-1.63 THz and 3.34 THz-4.08 THz, and the corresponding relative bandwidths reach 82.3% and 20%, respectively. The peak absorptivity of the absorber can be dynamically controlled from less than 10% to nearly 100% by adjusting the graphene chemical potential from 0 eV to 0.9 eV. Furthermore, the designed absorber is polarization-insensitive and has good robustness to incident angles. Such a high-performance MA has broad application prospects in THz imaging, modulating, filtering, etc.