Jianqiang Gu

Active control of electromagnetically induced transparency analogue in terahertz metamaterials

Recently reported metamaterial analogues of electromagnetically induced transparency enable a unique route to endow classical optical structures with aspects of quantum optical systems. This method opens up many fascinating prospects on novel optical components, such as slow light units, highly sensitive sensors and nonlinear devices. In particular, optical control of electromagnetically induced transparency in metamaterials promises essential application opportunities in optical networks and terahertz communications. Here we present active optical control of metamaterial-induced transparency through active tuning of the dark mode. By integrating photoconductive silicon into the metamaterial unit cell, a giant switching of the transparency window occurs under excitation of ultrafast optical pulses, allowing for an optically tunable group delay of the terahertz light. This work opens up the possibility for designing novel chip-scale ultrafast devices that would find utility in optical buffering and terahertz active filtering.

Triple-band terahertz metamaterial absorber: Design, experiment, and physical interpretation

We demonstrate the design, characterization, and interference-theory interpretation of a terahertz triple-band metamaterial absorber (MA). The experiments show that the fabricated MA has three distinctive absorption peaks at 0.5, 1.03, and 1.71 THz with absorption rates of 96.4%, 96.3%, and 96.7%, respectively. We use the multi-reflection interference theory to investigate the physical insight of the proposed triple-band terahertz MA, which provides a design guideline for MA of such type. The theoretical predictions of the interference model have excellent agreements with experimental results. The designed multiband absorber is easy to manufacture and insensitive to incident polarizations with high absorption, which is favorable for various applications.

Manipulating the plasmon-induced transparency in terahertz metamaterials

Coupling between superradiant and subradiant mode resonators in a metamaterial unit cell plays an important role in observing the sharp transparency peak due to destructive interference between the resonators. This effect is enhanced as the resonators are brought closer to each other in a conventional planar arrangement. We present a novel coupling scheme of planar terahertz metamaterial to tune the plasmon-induced transparency peak by physically varying the distance between the superradiant and the subradiant resonators in such a way that the transparency peak begins to disappear as the coupled resonators are brought closer than a critical separation distance. The effect is attributed to the disappearance of the resonant behavior of the subradiant resonator in a closely coupled regime. The simple planar design presented here demonstrates a scheme to manipulate the electromagnetically induced transparency-like behavior in terahertz metamaterials and this could lead to the development of unique slow light devices for terahertz applications.

Broadband Terahertz Wave Deflection Based on C‐shape Complex Metamaterials with Phase Discontinuities

A broadband terahertz wave deflector based on metasurface induced phase discontinuities is reported. Various frequency components ranging from 0.43 to 1.0 THz with polarization orthogonal to the incidence are deflected into a broad range of angles from 25° to 84°. A Fresnel zone plate consequently developed from the beam deflector is capable of focusing a broadband terahertz radiation.

A perfect metamaterial polarization rotator

Polarization conveys valuable information for electromagnetic signal processing exhibiting tremendous potential in developing application driven photonic devices. Manipulation of polarization state of an electromagnetic wave has drawn a lot of research interests in many different fields, especially in the terahertz regime. Here, we propose a unique approach to efficiently rotate the linear polarization of terahertz wave in a broadband configuration with tri-layer metasurfaces. We experimentally observe a nearly perfect orthogonal polarization conversion with an ultrahigh efficiency, demonstrating a ultrathin terahetz rotator. The Fabry-Perot cavity effect in the tri-layer metasurfaces is attributed to the underlying mechanism of high transmittance and polarization rotation.

Hiding a Realistic Object Using a Broadband Terahertz Invisibility Cloak

The invisibility cloak has been a long-standing dream for many researchers over the decades. Using transformation optics, a three-dimensional (3D) object is perceived as having a reduced number of dimensions, making it “undetectable” judging from the scattered field12345. Despite successful experimental demonstration at microwave and optical frequencies6789101112, the spectroscopically important Terahertz (THz) domain13141516 remains unexplored due to difficulties in fabricating cloaking devices that are optically large in all three dimensions. Here, we report the first experimental demonstration of a 3D THz cloaking device fabricated using a scalable Projection Microstereolithography process. The cloak operates at a broad frequency range between 0.3 and 0.6 THz, and is placed over an α-lactose monohydrate absorber with rectangular shape. Characterized using angular-resolved reflection THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), the results indicate that the THz invisibility cloak has successfully concealed both the geometrical and spectroscopic signatures of the absorber, making it undetectable to the observer.

Active graphene–silicon hybrid diode for terahertz waves

Controlling the propagation properties of the terahertz waves in graphene holds great promise in enabling novel technologies for the convergence of electronics and photonics. A diode is a fundamental electronic device that allows the passage of current in just one direction based on the polarity of the applied voltage. With simultaneous optical and electrical excitations, we experimentally demonstrate an active diode for the terahertz waves consisting of a graphene–silicon hybrid film. The diode transmits terahertz waves when biased with a positive voltage while attenuates the wave under a low negative voltage, which can be seen as an analogue of an electronic semiconductor diode. Here, we obtain a large transmission modulation of 83% in the graphene–silicon hybrid film, which exhibits tremendous potential for applications in designing broadband terahertz modulators and switchable terahertz plasmonic and metamaterial devices.

Terahertz superconductor metamaterial

We characterize the behavior of split ring resonators made up of high transition temperature yttrium barium copper oxide superconductor using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy measurements and numerical simulations. The superconductor metamaterial is found to show a remarkable change in the transmission spectra at the fundamental inductive-capacitive resonance as the temperature dips below the critical transition temperature. This resonance switching effect is normally absent in traditional metamaterials made up of regular metals. The temperature-dependent resonance behavior of the superconducting metamaterial would lead to development of low loss terahertz switches at cryogenic temperatures.

Increased frequency shifts in high aspect ratio terahertz split ring resonators

The resonance of split ring resonators (SRRs) is known to shift upon the addition of a dielectric overlayer, a feature useful for practical applications. Here, we demonstrate that the frequency shift is enlarged by increasing the SRR height, thereby potentially enhancing sensitivity and tunability. We fabricated SRRs resonating at terahertz frequencies using a focused proton beam. This resulted in SRRs nearly 10 μm high, with smooth and vertical sidewalls. Terahertz time domain spectroscopy was used for characterization. Upon applying a dielectric overlayer (ϵ=2.7), a resonance located at 640 GHz shifted by nearly 120 GHz. Simulations also indicate a widening frequency shift as SRR height increases.

Manipulating polarization states of terahertz radiation using metamaterials

We present a double-ring-chain metamaterial that enables efficient polarization conversion of terahertz waves. The experimental results and numerical simulations reveal that the linear-to-linear polarization rotation and linear-to-elliptic polarization transformation are simply accomplished by altering the dimensional parameters of the metamaterial unit cells. The polarization state conversion is found to be critically related to the resonant properties of the long bars and the rings in the unit geometries and is well described by the Jones matrix. This approach promises both passive and active polarization conversion of terahertz radiation using planar metamaterials.