Graphene-Based Metamaterial Absorbers for Terahertz Applications
Summary
Graphene-based metamaterial absorbers have emerged as a transformative approach to manipulate terahertz (THz) radiation through ultra-thin, tunable structures combining the exceptional electronic properties of graphene with subwavelength resonant geometries. By engineering periodic patterns or multilayer stacks of graphene on dielectric and metallic backplanes, these devices achieve near-unity absorption across narrow or broad spectral bands. Tunability arises from the modulation of graphene’s Fermi energy via electrostatic gating, enabling dynamic control of resonance frequency and absorption strength. The coupling of incident THz waves to surface plasmon polaritons in graphene, together with impedance matching to free space, suppresses reflection and transmission, resulting in efficient energy dissipation. Designs often emphasise angular and polarization insensitivity, facilitating practical deployment in sensing, imaging, wireless communication and stealth applications. Ongoing innovations seek to expand operational bandwidth, reduce fabrication complexity and integrate multifunctional capabilities such as amplitude modulation and polarisation control, underscoring the global significance of graphene metamaterial absorbers for emerging THz technologies.
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Graphene-Based Metamaterial Absorbers for Terahertz Applications publication trend
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Technical terms
Metamaterial absorber: Artificially structured composite that exhibits engineered absorption of electromagnetic waves at designed frequencies.
Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs): Hybrid electromagnetic oscillations at the interface between a conductor and dielectric, enabling strong field confinement and enhanced absorption.
Fermi energy: Energy level of electrons in graphene at absolute zero, which can be shifted by electrostatic gating to tune optical and plasmonic responses.
Impedance matching: Condition where the absorber’s effective impedance equals that of free space, minimising reflection and maximising absorption efficiency.
References
- Dual-band tunable perfect metamaterial absorber in the THz range. Optics Express (2016).
- Broadband absorber with periodically sinusoidally-patterned graphene layer in terahertz range.. Optics Express (2017).
- A Broadband Tunable Terahertz Metamaterial Absorber Based on Single-Layer Complementary Gammadion-Shaped Graphene. Materials (2020).
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