Graphene-Embedded Photonic Crystal Systems
Summary
Graphene-embedded photonic crystal systems integrate atomically thin carbon layers within periodic dielectric or semiconductor architectures to exploit the unique electronic and optical properties of graphene alongside the photonic band-gap effects of crystal lattices. By tailoring the refractive index contrast and introducing graphene monolayers or few-layer films at selected interfaces or defect planes, these hybrid platforms achieve dynamic modulation of light propagation, absorption and reflection across a broad spectral range. The high carrier mobility and tunable chemical potential of graphene permit real-time control of transmission resonances, enabling reconfigurable filtering, switching and sensing in the terahertz to near-infrared regimes. Defect engineering in one-dimensional stacks or two-dimensional slabs furnishes sharply defined resonant modes whose frequencies can be shifted by electrostatic gating or magnetic bias, while the strong confinement of electromagnetic fields near graphene layers enhances light–matter interactions and sensitivity to environmental changes. Such systems hold promise for compact modulators, polarisation-selective devices, tunable absorbers and on-chip optical detectors, with applications spanning telecommunications, chemical analysis and security screening.
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Graphene-Embedded Photonic Crystal Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in graphene-embedded photonic crystal systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Photonic crystal: A periodic optical structure that forbids propagation of specific wavelength ranges, creating photonic band gaps.
Graphene: A single layer of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice with high electrical conductivity and tunable optical absorption.
Terahertz frequency: Electromagnetic waves in the 0.1–10 THz region, bridging microwave and infrared bands.
Transfer matrix method: A computational technique for analysing light propagation through stratified media by relating fields at successive interfaces.
Defect layer: A deliberate interruption in the periodicity of a crystal that supports localized optical modes within the band gap.
Chemical potential (of graphene): The Fermi level position in graphene's electronic band structure, adjustable by external voltage to tune optical response.
Brewster angle: The incidence angle at which p-polarised light experiences zero reflection at a dielectric interface, here modified by graphene layers.
References
- Broadband Terahertz Polarizing Beam Splitter Based on a Graphene-Based Defective One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal. IEEE Photonics Journal (2019).
- Graphene-Based Magnetically Tunable Broadband Terahertz Absorber. IEEE Photonics Journal (2021).
- Tunable Terahertz Perfect Absorber and Polarizer Based on one-Dimensional Anisotropic Graphene Photonic Crystal. IEEE Photonics Journal (2022).
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