Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry
Active broadband terahertz (THz) polarization manipulation devices are challenging to realize, but also of great demand in broadband terahertz systems. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows a promising phase transition for active control of THz waves and provides broadband polarization characteristics when i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIP Publishing LLC
2018-05-01
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| Series: | APL Photonics |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5010940 |
| _version_ | 1819163683687759872 |
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| author | Xudong Liu Xuequan Chen Edward P. J. Parrott Chunrui Han Georges Humbert Aurelian Crunteanu Emma Pickwell-MacPherson |
| author_facet | Xudong Liu Xuequan Chen Edward P. J. Parrott Chunrui Han Georges Humbert Aurelian Crunteanu Emma Pickwell-MacPherson |
| author_sort | Xudong Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Active broadband terahertz (THz) polarization manipulation devices are challenging to realize, but also of great demand in broadband terahertz systems. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows a promising phase transition for active control of THz waves and provides broadband polarization characteristics when integrated within grating-type structures. We creatively combine a VO2-based grating structure with a total internal reflection (TIR) geometry providing a novel interaction mechanism between the electromagnetic waves and the device, to realize a powerful active broadband THz polarization-controlling device. The device is based on a Si-substrate coated with a VO2 layer and a metal grating structure on top, attached to a prism for generating the TIR condition on the Si-VO2-grating interface. The grating is connected to electrodes for electrically switching the VO2 between its insulating and conducting phases. By properly selecting the incident angle of the THz waves, the grating direction, and the incident polarization state, we first achieved a broadband intensity modulator under a fused silica prism with an average modulation depth of 99.75% in the 0.2-1.1 THz region. Additionally, we realized an active ultra-broadband quarter-wave converter under a Si prism that can be switched between a 45° linear rotator and a quarter wave converter in the 0.8-1.5 THz region. This is the first demonstration of an active quarter-wave converter with ultra-broad bandwidth performance. Our work shows a highly flexible and multifunctional polarization-controlling device for broadband THz applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T17:48:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b571042823f4a408acb38dfd8dff87b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2378-0967 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T17:48:02Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | AIP Publishing LLC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | APL Photonics |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b571042823f4a408acb38dfd8dff87b2022-12-21T18:18:15ZengAIP Publishing LLCAPL Photonics2378-09672018-05-0135051604051604-810.1063/1.5010940003891APPInvited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometryXudong Liu0Xuequan Chen1Edward P. J. Parrott2Chunrui Han3Georges Humbert4Aurelian Crunteanu5Emma Pickwell-MacPherson6Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongXLIM Research Institute, UMR 7252 CNRS/University of Limoges, Limoges, FranceXLIM Research Institute, UMR 7252 CNRS/University of Limoges, Limoges, FranceDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongActive broadband terahertz (THz) polarization manipulation devices are challenging to realize, but also of great demand in broadband terahertz systems. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows a promising phase transition for active control of THz waves and provides broadband polarization characteristics when integrated within grating-type structures. We creatively combine a VO2-based grating structure with a total internal reflection (TIR) geometry providing a novel interaction mechanism between the electromagnetic waves and the device, to realize a powerful active broadband THz polarization-controlling device. The device is based on a Si-substrate coated with a VO2 layer and a metal grating structure on top, attached to a prism for generating the TIR condition on the Si-VO2-grating interface. The grating is connected to electrodes for electrically switching the VO2 between its insulating and conducting phases. By properly selecting the incident angle of the THz waves, the grating direction, and the incident polarization state, we first achieved a broadband intensity modulator under a fused silica prism with an average modulation depth of 99.75% in the 0.2-1.1 THz region. Additionally, we realized an active ultra-broadband quarter-wave converter under a Si prism that can be switched between a 45° linear rotator and a quarter wave converter in the 0.8-1.5 THz region. This is the first demonstration of an active quarter-wave converter with ultra-broad bandwidth performance. Our work shows a highly flexible and multifunctional polarization-controlling device for broadband THz applications.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5010940 |
| spellingShingle | Xudong Liu Xuequan Chen Edward P. J. Parrott Chunrui Han Georges Humbert Aurelian Crunteanu Emma Pickwell-MacPherson Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry APL Photonics |
| title | Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| title_full | Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| title_fullStr | Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| title_short | Invited Article: An active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| title_sort | invited article an active terahertz polarization converter employing vanadium dioxide and a metal wire grating in total internal reflection geometry |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.5010940 |
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