Abstract-Broadband terahertz rotator with an all-dielectric metasurface

Quanlong Yang, Xieyu Chen, Quan Xu, Chunxiu Tian, Yuehong Xu, Longqing Cong, Xueqian Zhang, Yanfeng Li, Caihong Zhang, Xixiang Zhang, Jiaguang Han, and Weili Zhang

Fig. 1. (a) Conceptual description of the metasurface based on two identical dielectric antennas to manipulate the polarization of the terahertz wave. 𝛼$\alpha$ and 𝛽$\beta$ represent the orientations of two dielectric antennas (marked by the orange arrows), and 𝛾$\gamma$ is the effective optical axis orientation from the superposition of two antennas (marked by the navy arrow). (b) Schematic illustration of the two silicon antennas with geometrical parameters 𝑊=45  μm$W=45\mathrm{\mu m}$, 𝐿=180  μm$L=180\mathrm{\mu m}$, 𝐻=200  μm$H=200\mathrm{\mu m}$, and period 𝑃=375  μm$P=375\mathrm{\mu m}$. (c),(d) Schematic diagrams for high-quality polarization generation. Without introducing the phase gradient, both the 𝑥$x$-polarized and 𝑦$y$-polarized light propagates in the normal direction forming dispersive polarization states within the frequency range of interest. The phase gradient enables spatial separation of the two orthogonal polarization components, giving rise to pure linearly polarized components within a broad frequency range.

https://www.osapublishing.org/prj/fulltext.cfm?uri=prj-6-11-1056&id=399205

Polarization manipulation is essential in developing cutting-edge photonic devices ranging from optical communication displays to solar energy harvesting. Most previous works for efficient polarization control cannot avoid utilizing metallic components that inevitably suffer from large ohmic loss and thus low operational efficiency. Replacing metallic components with Mie resonance-based dielectric resonators will largely suppress the ohmic loss toward high-efficiency metamaterial devices. Here, we propose an efficient approach for broadband, high-quality polarization rotation operating in transmission mode with all-dielectric metamaterials in the terahertz regime. By separating the orthogonal polarization components in space, we obtain rotated output waves with a conversion efficiency of 67.5%. The proposed polarization manipulation strategy shows impressive robustness and flexibility in designing metadevices of both linear- and circular-polarization incidences.

© 2018 Chinese Laser Press

Abstract-Terahertz polarization converter based on all-dielectric high birefringence metamaterial with elliptical air holes

Jianchen Zi, Quan Xu, Qiu Wang, Chunxiu Tian, Yanfeng Li, Xixiang Zhang, Jiaguang Han, Weili Zhang

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0030401818301007

Metamaterials have been widely applied in the polarization conversion of terahertz (THz) waves. However, common plasmonic metamaterials usually work as reflective devices and have low transmissions. All-dielectric metamaterials can overcome these shortcomings. An all-dielectric metamaterial based on silicon with elliptical air holes is reported to achieve high artificial birefringence at THz frequencies. Simulations show that with appropriate structural parameters the birefringence of the dielectric metamaterial can remain flat and is above 0.7 within a broad band. Moreover, the metamaterial can be designed as a broadband quarter wave plate. A sample metamaterial was fabricated and tested to prove the validity of the simulations, and the sample could work as a quarter wave plate at 1.76 THz. The all-dielectric metamaterial that we proposed is of great significance for high performance THz polarization converters.

Abstract-Terahertz spoof surface-plasmon-polariton subwavelength waveguide

Ying Zhang, Yuehong Xu, Chunxiu Tian, Quan Xu, Xueqian Zhang, Yanfeng Li, Xixiang Zhang, Jiaguang Han, and Weili Zhang

https://www.osapublishing.org/prj/abstract.cfm?uri=prj-6-1-18&origin=search

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with the features of subwavelength confinement and strong enhancements have sparked enormous interest. However, in the terahertz regime, due to the perfect conductivities of most metals, it is hard to realize the strong confinement of SPPs, even though the propagation loss could be sufficiently low. One main approach to circumvent this problem is to exploit spoof SPPs, which are expected to exhibit useful subwavelength confinement and relative low propagation loss at terahertz frequencies. Here we report the design, fabrication, and characterization of terahertz spoof SPP waveguides based on corrugated metal surfaces. The various waveguide components, including a straight waveguide, an S-bend waveguide, a Y-splitter, and a directional coupler, were experimentally demonstrated using scanning near-field terahertz microscopy. The proposed waveguide indeed enables propagation, bending, splitting, and coupling of terahertz SPPs and thus paves a new way for the development of flexible and compact plasmonic circuits operating at terahertz frequencies.

© 2017 Chinese Laser Press

Abstract-Polarization-controlled asymmetric excitation of surface plasmons

Quan Xu, Xueqian Zhang, Quanlong Yang, Chunxiu Tian, Yuehong Xu, Jianbing Zhang, Hongwei Zhao, Yanfeng Li, Chunmei Ouyang, Zhen Tian, Jianqiang Gu, Xixiang Zhang, Jiaguang Han, and Weili Zhang

https://www.osapublishing.org/optica/abstract.cfm?uri=optica-4-9-1044&origin=search

Free-space light can be coupled into propagating surface waves at a metal–dielectric interface, known as surface plasmons (SPs). This process has traditionally faced challenges in preserving the incident polarization information and controlling the directionality of the excited SPs. The recently reported polarization-controlled asymmetric excitation of SPs in metasurfaces has attracted much attention for its promise in developing innovative plasmonic devices. However, the unit elements in these works were purposely designed in certain orthogonal polarizations, i.e., linear or circular polarizations, resulting in limited two-level polarization controllability. Here, we introduce a coupled-mode theory to overcome this limit. We demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that, by utilizing the coupling effect between a pair of split-ring-shaped slit resonators, exotic asymmetric excitation of SPs can be obtained under the 𝑥$x$-, 𝑦$y$-, left-handed circular, and right-handed circular polarization incidences, while the polarization information of the incident light can be preserved in the excited SPs. The versatility of the presented design scheme would offer opportunities for polarization sensing and polarization-controlled plasmonic devices.

© 2017 Optical Society of America

Abstract-Terahertz surface plasmon polariton waveguiding with periodic metallic cylinders

Ying Zhang, Shaoxian Li, Quan Xu, Chunxiu Tian, Jianqiang Gu, Yanfeng Li, Zhen Tian, Chunmei Ouyang, Jiaguang Han, and Weili Zhang

https://www.osapublishing.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-25-13-14397

We demonstrated a structure with periodic cylinders arranged bilaterally and a thin dielectric layer covered inside that supports bound modes of surface plasmon polaritons at terahertz frequencies. This structure can confine the surface plasmon polaritons in the lateral direction, and at the same time reduce the field expansion into space. We examined and explored the characteristics of several different structures using scanning near-field terahertz microscopy. The proposed designs pave a novel way to terahertz waveguiding and may have important applications in the development of flexible, wideband and compact photonic circuits operating at terahertz frequencies.

© 2017 Optical Society of America