Abstract-Probing terahertz surface plasmon waves in graphene structures

Oleg Mitrofanov^1,2, Wenlong Yu³, Robert J. Thompson¹, Yuxuan Jiang³, Igal Brener^2,4, Wei Pan⁴, Claire Berger^3,5, Walter A. de Heer³, and Zhigang Jiang³

¹Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
²Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
³School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
⁴Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
⁵CNRS/Institut Néel, BP166, 38042 Grenoble, France

Epitaxial graphene mesas and ribbons are investigated using terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy to probe surface plasmon excitation and THz transmission properties on the sub-wavelength scale. The THz near-field images show variation of graphene properties on a scale smaller than the wavelength, and excitation of THz surface waves occurring at graphene edges, similar to that observed at metallic edges. The Fresnel reflection at the substrate SiC/air interface is also found to be altered by the presence of graphene ribbon arrays, leading to either reduced or enhanced transmission of the THz wave depending on the wave polarization and the ribbon width.

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