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A metamaterial solid-state terahertz phase modulator

Nature Photonics volume 3, pages 148–151 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Over the past two decades, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy1 and quantum-cascade lasers2 have been two of the most important developments in terahertz science and technology. These technologies may contribute to a multitude of terahertz applications that are currently under investigation globally3. However, the devices and components necessary to effectively manipulate terahertz radiation require substantial development beyond what has been accomplished to date. Here we demonstrate an electrically controlled planar hybrid metamaterial device that linearly controls the phase of terahertz radiation with constant insertion loss over a narrow frequency band. Alternatively, our device may operate as a broadband terahertz modulator because of the causal relation between the amplitude modulation and phase shifting. We perform terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, in which our hybrid metamaterial modulator replaces a commercial mechanical optical chopper, demonstrating comparable broadband performance and superior high-speed operation.

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Figure 1: Design of the electrically driven terahertz metamaterial phase shifter.
Figure 2: Electrically controllable terahertz transmission spectra.
Figure 3: Broadband modulation of terahertz radiation.
Figure 4: Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy using the broadband metamaterial modulator.

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Acknowledgements

We thank I. Brener for coordinating the sample fabrication, J.F. O'Hara for discussions and the use of the terahertz system, and D. Lippens for useful discussions. We acknowledge support from the Los Alamos National Laboratory LDRD Program. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences Nanoscale Science Research Center operated jointly by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. Los Alamos National Laboratory, an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Physics & Applications Division, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, 87545, New Mexico, USA

    Hou-Tong Chen, Abul K. Azad & Antoinette J. Taylor

  2. Department of Physics, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 02467, Massachusetts, USA

    Willie J. Padilla

  3. Sandia National Laboratories, MS1085, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87185, USA

    Michael J. Cich

  4. Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 02215, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Averitt

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  1. Hou-Tong Chen
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  2. Willie J. Padilla
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Correspondence to Hou-Tong Chen.

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Chen, HT., Padilla, W., Cich, M. et al. A metamaterial solid-state terahertz phase modulator. Nature Photon 3, 148–151 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2009.3

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