Graphene-based polarization insensitive structure of ultra-wideband terahertz wave absorber

Abstract

Graphene, a new smart material, has gained a lot of attention recently because of its tunable band structure and strong light-matter interaction. In comparison with typical absorbers, graphene absorbers have emerged as a highly attractive substitute for various types of applications. To broaden the absorption bandwidth, a two-dimensional graphene-based ultra-wideband and polarization-insensitive novel terahertz (THz) absorber with absorption over 95 % from 3.0 THz to 8.5 THz is proposed, with peak absorption of 99.9 % at 6.6 THz and average absorption of 98.4 % for the 5.5 THz bandwidth. The surface plasmon increased by the gold-graphene structure, the Mei resonance, and the interference cancellation between metasurfaces collectively contribute to the ultra-wideband absorption. To obtain nearly perfect broadband terahertz absorption, a single layer of graphene is used. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) approach is used for absorber analysis. In addition, the absorber is insensitive to the polarization angles and incidence angles of incident electromagnetic waves. The proposed graphene-based absorber dominates previously reported wideband THz absorbers in terms of over 95 % bandwidth, absorption peak value, and overall volume. This research will present a novel idea for the design of an ultra-wideband absorber, which can be considered a suitable candidate for different potential applications in terahertz imaging, sensors, photodetectors, and modulators.