No Arabic abstract
We report on a method and an associated open source software, Fit@TDS, working on an average personal computer. The method is based on the fitting of a time-trace data of a terahertz time-domain-spectroscopy system enabling the retrieval of the refractive index of a dielectric sample and the resonance parameters of a metasurface (quality factor, absorption losses, etc.). The software includes commonly used methods where the refractive index is extracted from frequency domain data. However, these methods are limited, for instance in case of a high noise level or when an absorption peak saturates the absorption spectrum bringing the signal to the noise level. Our software allows to use a new method where the refractive indices are directly fitted from the time-trace. The idea is to model a material or a metamaterial through parametric physical models (Drude-Lorentz model and time-domain coupled mode theory) and to implement the subsequent refractive index in the propagation model to simulate the time-trace. Then, an optimization algorithm is used to retrieve the parameters of the model corresponding to the studied material/metamaterial. In this paper, we explain the method and test it on fictitious samples to probe the feasibility and reliability of the proposed model. Finally, we used Fit@TDS on real samples of high resistivity silicon, lactose and gold metasurface on quartz to show the capacity of our method
We report single and multiband linear polarizers for terahertz (THz) frequencies using cut-wire metamaterials (MM). The MMs are designed by finite element method, fabricated by electron beam lithography, and characterized by THz time-domain spectroscopy. The MM unit cells consist of single or multiple length cut-wire pads of gold on semi-insulating Gallium Arsenide for single or multiple band polarizers. The dependence of the resonance frequency of the single band polarizer on the length of the cut-wires is explained based a transmission line model.
Superconducting terahertz (THz) metamaterial (MM) made from superconducting Nb film has been investigated using a continuous-wave THz spectroscopy with a superconducting split-coil magnet. The obtained quality factors of the resonant modes at 132 GHz and 450 GHz are about three times as large as those calculated for a metal THz MM operating at 1 K, which indicates that superconducting THz MM is a very nice candidate to achieve low loss performance. In addition, the magnetic field-tuning on superconducting THz MM is also demonstrated, which offer an alternative tuning method apart from the existed electric, optical and thermal tuning on THz MM.
Seeing sharper or becoming invisible are visions strongly driving the development of THz metamaterials. Strings are a preferred architecture of metamaterials as they extend continuously along one dimension. Here, we demonstrate that laterally interconnecting strings by structural elements that are placed in oscillation nodes such as to not quench electromagnetic resonances enables manufacturing of self-supported free-standing all-metal metamaterials. Upright S-strings, interconnected by rods, form a space-grid which we call meta-foil. In this way, we introduce binding between the atoms of the metamaterial, thus doing away with conventional frozen-in solutions like matrix embedding or thin films on substrates. Meta-foils are locally stiff, yet globally flexible. Even bent to cylinders of 1 cm radius, they maintain their spectral response, thus becoming true metamaterials on curved surfaces. Exploiting UV/X-ray lithography and ultimately plastic moulding, meta-foils can be cost-effectively manufactured in large areas and quantities to serve as optical elements.
Stacked layers of metal meshes embedded in a dielectric substrate are routinely used for providing spectral selection at THz frequencies. Recent work has shown that particular geometries allow the refractive index to be tuned to produce practical artificial materials. Here we show that by spatially grading in the plane of the mesh we can manufacture a Graded Index (GrIn) thin flat lens optimized for use at THz frequencies. Measurements on a prototype lens show we are able to obtain the parabolic profile of a Woods type lens which is dependent only on the mesh parameters. This technique could realize other exotic optical devices.
Although optical metamaterials that show artificial magnetism are mesoscopic systems, they are frequently described in terms of effective material parameters. But due to intrinsic nonlocal (or spatially dispersive) effects it may be anticipated that this approach is usually only a crude approximation and is physically meaningless. In order to study the limitations regarding the assignment of effective material parameters, we present a technique to retrieve the frequency-dependent elements of the effective permittivity and permeability tensors for arbitrary angles of incidence and apply the method exemplarily to the fishnet metamaterial. It turns out that for the fishnet metamaterial, genuine effective material parameters can only be introduced if quite stringent constraints are imposed on the wavelength/unit cell size ratio. Unfortunately they are only met far away from the resonances that induce a magnetic response required for many envisioned applications of such a fishnet metamaterial. Our work clearly indicates that the mesoscopic nature and the related spatial dispersion of contemporary optical metamaterials that show artificial magnetism prohibits the meaningful introduction of conventional effective material parameters.