Perfect Absorption Research Articles

THz biosensing for early detection of influenza and coronaviruses using dielectric metamaterials

Abstract The world has faced a significant challenge since December 2019, when coronavirus (COVID-19) was found. Viruses of this type are causing pandemics all over the world right now. For this purpose, a biosensor is designed to operate based on metamaterial (MM) incorporated and can detect different coronaviruses. The proposed metamaterial absorber (MMA) includes two bands with perfect absorption characteristics and a narrow absorption bandwidth: 4.093 THz and 3.647 THz. The circuit model’s transmission line technique is another approach to verifying the absorber’s functionality. The proposed design consists of a square-shaped graphene ring (SGR) and a silicon-based square ring resonator (SSRR) to provide unique and narrow band absorption characteristics. Changing the graphene’s chemical potential suggests MMA tuneability and control capability. The suggested MMA can detect several coronaviruses because of its extremely narrow absorption spectrum behavior. It has unique features such as ultra-narrow absorption bandwidth, polarization insensitivity, and simplicity. The MMA is designed with a compact structure, good sensitivity (s), exceptional figure of Merit (FOM), and superior Quality factor (Q) values.

Total resonant terahertz absorption enabled by a large-scale adjustable admittance inverse matching in a metal groove with graphene

Abstract We propose a tunable terahertz (THz) perfect absorber based on a metal groove with graphene-loaded dielectric resonator and theoretically study its basic properties. The proposed absorber allows switching between the regimes of perfect absorption at the Fabry-Perot resonance excited near the cut-off frequency of the metal groove and almost total reflection away from the resonance by changing the Fermi energy in graphene. For this purpose, we propose a “bottom up” approach which is based on tuning the admittance of input line (the metal groove in our case) instead of the structure admittance in order to reach the perfect admittance matching condition. We demonstrate that this effect can be realized at arbitrary selected frequency in the entire THz range due to the dispersion of incoming wave in metal groove, which ensures a large-scale tunability of its characteristic admittance. As a result, the total absorption can be realized in the Fabry-Perot resonance even in a simple graphene-loaded dielectric cavity for any admittance of graphene layer, which is advantageous as compared to majority of existing THz absorbers with more complicated design.

Switchable bifunctional VO2-based terahertz metamaterial device for perfect absorption and transmission polarization conversion

Switchable bifunctional VO2-based terahertz metamaterial device for perfect absorption and transmission polarization conversion

High sensitivity and high figure of merit graphene mid-infrared multi-band tunable metamaterial perfect absorber

In the research of this paper, we have devised a mid-infrared band metamaterial perfect absorber made of graphene material. The absorber is composed of a traditional three-layer structure of MPA. The top layer is a graphene layer with a specific structure, with SiO2 as the dielectric layer and the gold film as the substrate. In the wavelength range of 5500 – 13000 nm, the graphene layer generates seven absorption peaks and shows ultra-high absorption efficiency. The respective absorption rates are 91.17%, 99.41%, 99.01%, 95.69%, 94.16%, 96.89%, and 95.01%. By verifying the absorption spectra and the principle of effective impedance matching, analyze the electric field distribution image of the xoy plane based on the principle of surface plasmon resonance, we have proved that it conforms to the classical physical theory and expounded the reason why the absorption peaks were formed. The comparison of different graphene patterns has confirmed the superiority of this structure. By changing the relaxation time and Fermi level of graphene, the tunability of the absorber structure has been verified. Changing the incident angle has proved its insensitivity to the polarization angle (0° - 50°). Finally, by calculating and comparing the figure of merit (FOM) and the sensitivity (S), it is shown that this structure has significant sensitivity and excellent application ability and value. We firmly believe that our absorber can be well applied in high-sensitivity sensors, filters and detectors, and can contribute to fields such as photoelectric detection, optical communication and photoelectric sensing.

Viscoelastic material enhancement of underwater sound absorption in higher-order resonators: from low-frequency to ultra-broadband

Underwater noise control is crucial for improving the marine acoustic environment. This study introduces a novel underwater acoustic absorber design that integrates viscoelastic materials with higher-order resonance structures to enhance the absorption efficiency of low-frequency sound waves. By embedding a thin layer of rubber within a conventional second-order Helmholtz resonator, the rubber's viscoelastic and damping properties significantly improve this structure's underwater low-frequency acoustic performance. Theoretical and simulation calculations have shown that the structure has two perfect absorption peaks in the low-frequency range. The simulation results show that in the frequency range of 415-1848 Hz (Simulation), only four units are needed to effectively absorb up to 90% of noise energy, and the total volume is only. Moreover, the absorber maintains excellent absorption performance over a wide range of incidence angles from 0 to 60 degrees. This work is helpful to design ultra-thin low-frequency underwater absorbers.

Tunable Graphene‐Based Absorber Using Nanoscale Grooved Metal Film at Telecommunication Wavelengths

Graphene‐based absorbers have various modern applications across industries due to their exceptional properties. Some common applications include: thermal management and energy storage. Herein, the design and simulation of a broadband tunable absorber based on graphene with perfect absorption spectra in the near‐infrared region are reported. The proposed structure consists of an MgF2 layer and golden disc surrounded by L‐shaped golden arms placed on single layer of graphene. The structure guarantees polarization‐insensitive (PI) performance under normal incident due to the symmetrical design. The investigation of the PI of the structure reveals almost similar absorption for oblique incident angles up to 55° for TM and up to 60° for TE polarization. The desirable resonance wavelength is achievable by tuning the geometrical parameters. By changing the chemical potential of graphene, the absorption and bandwidth of absorber are controllable. A full width at half maximum of 330 nm is another superiority of this absorber. These considerable aspects of the proposed structure make it practical for varieties of applications such as cloaking, sensing, switching, and so on.

Single-layer black phosphorus-enhanced narrowband perfect absorber in the terahertz range

In this paper, a narrowband absorber based on black phosphorus (BP) is proposed. By utilizing a single-layer BP, a Si structure with four etched holes, and a perfectly electrically conductive (PEC) plate, multi-band absorption can be achieved in the range of 3.8 THz to 5.0 THz. The location and absorbance of the three peaks are 4.32 THz (99.7 %), 4.53 THz (95.6 %), and 4.69 THz (56.7 %), respectively. The anisotropy of the BP structure leads to different absorption spectra when illuminated by TE and TM polarized light sources. Altering the electron doping in BP allows control over the position and intensity of absorption peaks. Upon examining the electric field distribution of the absorber, it is evident that the dominant physical mechanism is the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Overall, the monolayer BP absorber designed in this study can be utilized to construct a polarimetric sensor for infrared wavelengths. Additionally, it provides a valuable reference for 2D anisotropic plasma devices.

Non-Hermitian ideal Weyl photonic metamaterials and polarization-momentum resolved perfect absorption

Non-Hermitian ideal Weyl photonic metamaterials and polarization-momentum resolved perfect absorption

Graphene pixel based broadband polarization insensitive THz absorber

Abstract Suppressing undesired radiation and eliminating stray radiation in a high-frequency circuit might be challenging. Ultra-high frequency (UHF) electromagnetic wave absorbers are finding new applications in both the military and civilian domains. Obtaining an ultra-wide absorption band in a thin, single-layer Terahertz absorber becomes difficult. Also, achieving perfect absorption bandwidth on transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) mode is very sensitive. This paper presents a polarization-independent graphene-based absorbers with a near unity absorption band of 2.32 THz and 3.78 THz in a lower mid-infrared regime. The structure’s unit cell consists of cross-slot circular patches with Au as a ground separated by SiO2. To improve the absorption band another graphene layer was placed between the top and dielectric material. The absorber is polarization independent under normal incidence because of the deposited graphene structure’s fourfold symmetry. Both TE and TM polarizations were investigated, with wide-band absorption observed up to 60° incident angles in both cases. In terms of the lowest frequency of absorption, the prototype is deemed to be as thin as ∼ 0.1 λ max for both absorbers. Similarly, the effective homogeneity criteria in the subwavelength region are supported by the unit cell’s period of ∼ 0.1 λ max . The proposed absorber-2 shows 10 % higher FBW than existing work.

Laser-induced reconfigurable wavefront control with a structured Ge2Sb2Te5-based metasurface

Phase change materials have been widely exploited in active metasurfaces due to their large index contrast. Despite recent advances in phase-change metasurfaces, it remains a challenge to integrate diverse reconfigurable optical functionalities into a single metasurface. Here, we demonstrate an effective strategy to realize reconfigurable wavefront control by combining a Ge2Sb2Te5-rod array with laser writing technology. Through arbitrarily modifying the position and power of laser source, the laser writing process helps to realize site-selective and multi-level phase change of Ge2Sb2Te5 rods. Due to multi-level switching for optical properties of Ge2Sb2Te5 material, the Ge2Sb2Te5-rod array offers complete phase control and high amplitude modulation. Subsequently, various optical devices are designed in numerical simulation, including a phase-only hologram, dynamic meta-deflectors, a grayscale image and a perfect absorber. The structured Ge2Sb2Te5-based metasurface with the combination of laser writing technology offers an effective way to explore various types of optical functionalities in the same device.

Deep neural network-enabled dual-functional wideband absorbers

The increasing interest in switchable and tunable wideband perfect absorbers for applications such as modulation, energy harvesting, and spectroscopy has significantly driven research efforts. In this study, we present a dual-function terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorber supported by deep neural networks (DNN). This absorber achieves dual-wideband perfect absorption through the use of graphene and vanadium dioxide (VO₂), enabling both switching and tuning functionalities. Simulation results show that, in the insulating phase of VO₂, a high-frequency wideband absorption ranging from 9.31 to 9.77 THz is achieved, with an absorption rate exceeding 90%. In contrast, in the metallic phase of VO₂, a full-band wideband absorption above 90% is observed from 8.44 to 9.75 THz. The corresponding fractional bandwidths are 61.3% and 174.6%, respectively. Additionally, electrical tuning of graphene’s Fermi level from 0.01 to 1 eV enables continuous modulation of absorption intensity between 48 and 100%. The absorber also exhibits polarization insensitivity to TE and TM waves due to its symmetric design and broad incidence angle. This design holds significant potential for various THz applications, including switching, electromagnetic shielding, stealth technology, filtering, and sensing.

Coherent Perfect Absorption of Arbitrary Wavefronts at an Exceptional Point

Coherent Perfect Absorption of Arbitrary Wavefronts at an Exceptional Point

Perylene diimide-derived supramolecules-modified graphene sponge as a high-efficiency solar steam generator

Generating steam using solar energy appears to be an effective approach to obtaining clean water, especially from salty water and wastewater, since the sun is a natural and constant source. Compared to many methods, studies in solar steam generation have accelerated due to being highly efficient, sustainable, and low-cost. Graphene sponges (GrSs), possessing structural flexibility and effective photothermal activity, are widely used for this purpose. However, the hydrophobic character of these materials limits their effectiveness in solar steam generators. At this point, we prepared perylene diimide-derived supramolecules (PDI) modified three-dimensional (3D) gradient hydrophobic GrS (PDI/GGrS) as the highly efficient solar thermal converter for the generation of clean water. PDI allowed us to achieve perfect absorption of broad-band sunlight and GGrS facilitated water transport through channels of sponge structure. As a result, PDI/GGrS has achieved a high water evaporation rate of 3.5 kg h−1 m−2 with a superior solar thermal conversion efficiency of up to 90 %. This study can provide new possibilities for harvesting solar energy by producing clean water from seawater, wastewater, and even acidic/alkali solutions.

Design of ultra-broadband long-wave to ultra-long-wave infrared absorber based on machine learning

Abstract long-wave infrared (LWIR) and ultra-long-wave infrared (ULWIR) radiation find extensive utility in atmospheric monitoring, night reconnaissance, deep space exploration, and various other fields. However, achieving ultra-wideband absorption within these spectral ranges has persistently posed a significant challenge for researchers. Metasurfaces have attracted great interest due to their ability to manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves with unprecedented precision and efficiency. In this paper, a metasurface absorber with a simple structure is proposed. Combined with machine learning (ML) of Random Forest algorithm for design optimization, the absorber achieves ultra-wideband perfect absorption of 42.54 μm within the LWIR-ULWIR band. Furthermore, the stability and accuracy of the Random Forest algorithm in absorber design are also evaluated and compared with other classical ML algorithms. The successful realization of this work can offer the advancement of thermal imaging, sensing, and communication systems operating within the LWIR and ULWIR spectra.

Dynamic tunable triple-band terahertz perfect absorber based on graphene metamaterial

This work developed a graphene-based perfect absorber with dynamic tuning capabilities. This absorber consists of a metal substrate, a layer of graphene square rings, a layer of graphene disks, and two layers of SiO2 dielectric sandwiched between them. Simulation results demonstrate absorption peaks at 1.23 THz, 4.2 THz, and 6.38 THz, with respective absorption rates of 99.9 %, 99.8 %, and 98.3 %. By analyzing the distributions of the electric field and surface current at the central frequencies of the three absorption peaks, the excitation mechanism of each absorption peak was discussed. It was found that by adjusting graphene's chemical potential, the absorption spectrum can be actively controlled. Furthermore, the absorber is insensitive to polarization and can sustain the stability of the absorption spectrum within an incident angle range of 0∼35°. This work has the potential to advance the research of multi-band terahertz absorbers, dynamically tunable devices, and other graphene-based photonic devices.

Ultrabroadband and >93% Microwave Absorption Enabled by "Doped" Water Meta-Atom Lattice with Subwavelength Thickness.

Perfect microwave absorbers, which absorb electromagnetic waves completely, play pivotal roles in electromagnetic shielding, and stealth technologies. Existing microwave absorber technologies rely on either electromagnetic properties of absorptive materials, the resonance behavior of meta-atoms, or a combination of both. So far, achieving simultaneous broadband absorption, high efficiency, and compact sizes remains a great challenge. Inspired by atomic doping techniques employed in conventional optical materials to broaden spectral bandwidths, a single-layer microfluidic metasurface microwave absorber is proposed with the assembly of two distinct types of water meta-atoms. By manipulating electromagnetic resonances of these water meta-atoms, the metasurface maintains impedance matching over a broad working range. A microwave absorber design with a thickness equivalent to 0.2 times the central wavelength is showcased, measuring over 93% absorption across both K and Ka bands (17.5-40.0GHz). The results highlight unprecedented superiorities of microwave absorbers based on a 2D doped water meta-atom lattice when compared to previously reported metasurface absorbers utilizing identical meta-atoms. This absorber has advantages including small thickness, broad bandwidth, and cost-effectiveness, making it promising for applications in electromagnetic shielding, camouflage, and multi-spectral stealth.

Design and performance study of a multiband metamaterial tunable thermal switching absorption device based on AlCuFe and VO2.

In this paper, we propose a multiband adjustable metamaterial absorption device based on a Dirac semimetal (BDS) AlCuFe and a thermally controlled phase-change material VO2. The absorption device has an axially symmetric structure, resulting in polarization-independent characteristics, and when VO2 is in a high-temperature metal state, ultra-high absorption rates and sensitives at frequencies of M1 = 2.89 THz, M2 = 7.53 THz, M3 = 7.97 THz, and M4 = 9.02 THz are achieved. Using a parameter inversion method, we calculated the impedance of the absorber, proving that it achieves impedance matching and produces perfect absorption in the resonance region. Additionally, we changed the physical and chemical parameters of the absorption device, demonstrating the device's excellent tunability and manufacturing tolerance. Furthermore, by lowering the temperature of VO2 to that of a low dielectric state, additional resonant peaks with ultra-high absorption rates at frequencies M5 = 5.62 THz, M6 = 7.16 THz, M7 = 7.64 THz, and M8 = 8.80 THz were obtained, broadening the absorption band of the device. Lastly, we investigated the detection sensitivity of the device by changing the external refractive index, resulting in a maximum sensitivity of 2229 GHz RIU-1. To sum up, the absorption device has great application potential in the fields of communication, sensing, temperature detection and photoelectric instruments.

Enhanced broadband perfect absorption in visible and near-infrared regimes

ABSTRACT It is still a challenge to achieve perfect ((near-unity)) absorption across a wide wavelength range with a three-layer structure. This paper presents a metamaterial absorber (MA) based on MXene that can achieve broadband and perfect absorption in the near-infrared and visible regions. The MA with a simple three-layer structure consists of a top Ti3C2T x layer, an intermediate dielectric layer and a bottom gold layer. It can achieve perfect absorption (the absorptivity over 99%) in the wavelength range of 730–900 nm. The electric field distribution reveals that the localized surface plasmon resonance occurring at the interface of Ti3C2T x and SiO2 leads to strong absorption over the wide wavelength range. Furthermore, the MA exhibits excellent angular stability. This work provides a method to construct MAs with broadband perfect absorption in the near-infrared and visible band.

Graphene‑vanadium dioxide ultra-wideband dual regulated absorber

In this paper, we propose a novel tunable THZ absorber consisting of a patterned graphene layer and a metal plate separated by a vanadium dioxide dielectric layer. The absorbent has a simple structure, is easy to make graphene patterns, and has a dual regulatory function. The ability to double regulate comes from the fact that the state of vanadium dioxide changes with the temperature between the insulating phase and the metal phase, resulting in a change in its conductivity. When vanadium dioxide is in the insulating phase, the total reflection characteristics of the absorber are >7 THz, and when vanadium dioxide is in the metallic phase, the absorber achieves near-perfect absorption in the ultra-wideband range of 3 THz to 12.4 THz (9.4 THz). Local surface plasmon resonance explains the perfect absorption. Compared with previous absorbers, our proposed absorbers are not only simple in structure, the graphene pattern is also easy to process, but also have double adjustment and perfect absorption in the ultra-wideband range, are not sensitive to polarized light, and have large tolerances for the Angle of incident. The further development and enrichment of terahertz metamaterials and metasurface devices will also have beneficial implications for terahertz wave applications in sensing, communications, and radar. Due to their significant application value in stealth, detection, and communication, metamaterial absorbers have become a research hotspot in the field of metamaterials.

Design and performance of a dual-band plasmonic perfect absorber for infrared refractive index sensing

In this study, we introduce what we believe is an innovative design for a plasmonic perfect absorber (PPA) that is based on half-cut disk resonator metamaterials. This design exhibits remarkable stability and versatility, demonstrating effective functionality across a wide range of incident angles for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarization. The distinct operational characteristics of the PPA are highlighted by the presence of two corresponding absorption peaks at wavelengths of 870 and 1599 nm, where it achieves outstanding maximum absorption rates of 98.99% and 97.5%, respectively. The design’s ultra-narrow resonance peaks are indicative of its high-quality factors, which are vital for enhancing sensitivity in plasmonic sensory applications. This characteristic renders our PPA an exceptional candidate for refractive index (RI) sensing, where precision is critical. The dual-band perfect absorber (PA)-based sensor demonstrates significant RI sensitivity, with values approximately equal to 365 nm/RIU at the first absorption peak and 733 nm/RIU at the second. Our findings elucidate the exceptional potential inherent in this novel dual-band perfect absorber design. The versatility and efficiency across varied applications not only contribute to the existing body of knowledge but also pave the way for future advancements in plasmonic sensor technologies and metamaterial research.