Tunable wide band near-perfect absorber for terahertz waves based on a vanadium dioxide metasurface

Publication date: 20 Apr 2025

JournalSource: OPENALEXOpenAlex type: articleOpen Access
Authors: Tara Afra, Walter Fuscaldo, Dimitrios Zografopoulos, Teresa Natale, Francesco Dell’Olio

Abstract Vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) is a remarkable phase-change material whose temperature-driven insulator-to-metal transition unlocks powerful tunability in the THz regime. Here, we present a VO 2 -based metasurface that not only achieves over 90% absorption efficiency across a broad 1.27–2.64 THz range when in its metallic phase, but also transitions into a nearly perfect reflector (0.1–4 THz) in its dielectric phase. This striking dual functionality leverages the unique conductivity variation of VO 2 with temperature and is realized through a metasurface on a thin SiO 2 spacer backed by a gold layer. Notably, our design maintains insensitivity to both polarizations and incidence angle—crucial characteristics for practical THz applications—while offering a robust, wideband response. Through systematic analysis, we elucidate the physical mechanisms governing the high absorption and reflection, and demonstrate how key geometric parameters influence the device performance. By combining wideband tunability, angular and polarization invariance, and design simplicity, this metasurface holds substantial promise as a versatile component for next-generation THz technologies.

Origin
Optical and Quantum Electronics
Volume
57
Issue
5
Cited by
9
Legacy ID
f03b611cc0900f90600cf8a3ad69c5fd
Biblio references
Volume: 57 Issue: 5 Pages: 272