Inkjet Printed Wire-Grid Polarizers for the THz Frequency Range

TL;DR

This paper explores inkjet printing as a cost-effective method to produce wire-grid polarizers for the THz frequency range, demonstrating the fabrication process and analyzing their polarization properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of inkjet printing technology for creating THz wire-grid polarizers and evaluates their optical performance.

Findings

Printed silver-nanoparticle lines can function as effective THz polarizers.

Stacked polarizers enhance polarization selectivity.

Optimal wire geometry improves polarizer performance.

Abstract

We have investigated the use of inkjet printing technology for the production of THz range wire-grid polarizers using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy (TDTS). Such technology affords an inexpensive and reproducible way of quickly manufacturing THz range metamaterial structures. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, numerous thin silver-nanoparticle ink lines were printed using a Dimatix DMP-2831 printer. We investigated the optimal printing geometry of the polarizers by examining a number of samples with printed wires of varying thickness and spacing. We also investigated the polarization properties of multiply-stacked polarizers.