Electrically reduced optical switching threshold of VO2-based THz metasurface

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a significant reduction in the optical switching threshold of VO2-based THz metasurfaces through electric current and plasmonic effects, enabling advanced dynamic control for THz applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to lower the switching threshold by over five orders of magnitude using electric current and Au nanoparticles, improving dynamic control of THz metasurfaces.

Findings

Switching threshold reduced to 0.32-0.4 W/cm2

Au nanoparticles further decrease threshold by 30%

Enables programmable THz mirror arrays

Abstract

The VO2-based THz metasurface optical switching threshold is reduced by more than five orders of magnitude to 0.32-0.4 W/cm2 due to the supply of a subthreshold electric current. Moreover, additional deposition of Au nanoparticles can further reduce the threshold by 30% due to plasmonic effects. The proposed designs and a combined approach to controlling the sub-THz/THz transmission by electric current and light make it possible to overcome the existing bottleneck in design of dynamically programmable THz mirror array based on metasurfaces.