Abstract-The terahertz characteristics of a sandwich type microplasma structure

Ruilin Gao¹, Chengxun Yuan¹, Ying Wang¹, Zhongxiang Zhou¹, Dewei Gong¹, Yuan Fang¹, and Xianwei Rong²

¹Department of Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, China
²School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150025, China 

http://jap.aip.org/resource/1/japiau/v114/i12/p123302_s1?isAuthorized=no

Recently, major technical advances in developing intense terahertz (THz) sources have provided us with new opportunities to investigate characteristics of a high density microplasma with THz waves. In this paper, a simple sandwich type microplasma model is established. The finite-difference time-domain method using Z-transforms is utilized to simulate the characteristics of reflection, transmission, and absorption of THz waves in this microplasma structure. The effects of both the microplasma width and the permittivity of the outer medium on the propagation are analyzed, and the results show that the THz waves can be greatly influenced and modulated by the structure of the plasma slab and the outer medium. It is demonstrated that such plasma metamaterials exhibit some extraordinary properties in THz frequency range.

© 2013 AIP Publishing LLC

Article Outline

1. INTRODUCTION
2. FDTD ALGORITHM
   1. Z-transforms FDTD method
   2. Validity and precision of Z-transforms FDTD
3. SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
   1. Establishment of the model and choice of the parameters
   2. The effects of plasma layer thickness on the propagation of THz waves
   3. The modulation effects of dielectric plates on the propagation of THz waves
4. CONCLUSION