Broadband and thermally switchable reflective metasurface based on Z-shape InSb for terahertz vortex beam generation

Abstract

In this paper, a broadband and thermally switchable reflective metasurface based on InSb Z-shape resonator (ZSR) structure was proposed for the vortex beam generation in terahertz (THz) region. Numerical simulation results indicate that the operation frequency range and efficiency will be basically unchanged when the external environment temperature increases from 300 K to 340 K, but gradually decreased when the temperature decreases from 300 K to 240 K. More specifically, the proposed InSb metasurface can transform the normal incident circular-polarization (CP) wave to its orthogonal component with conversion coefficient over 0.8 from 0.65 THz to 1.66 THz (relative bandwidth of 87.4%) after reflection when the temperature is changed from 300 K to 340 K. However, the bandwidth will be narrowed and conversion coefficient will be limited with the temperature decreases from 300 K to 240 K. The full 2π phase shift could be obtained at operation frequency by rotating the InSb ZSR structure along the wave propagation direction. Taking advantages of the above characteristics, the reflective THz vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) with topological charge of l = ±1, ±2, and ±3 at the temperature of 300 K over a broadband range can be achieved. In addition, thermal switchable effect of the vortex beams with topological charge of l = 2 at three different frequencies also can be observed. The further numerical results also indicate that the generated reflective THz vortex beams have high mode purity by the designed InSb metasurface. Our work provides a potentially efficient method for the development and integration of the broadband and switchable wavefront controlling devices.