Terahertz Plasmonics in Graphene-Based Devices and Applications

Terahertz plasmonics in graphene exploits the material’s exceptional electronic properties—high carrier mobility, atomically thin profile and electrically tunable conductivity—to confine and manipulate electromagnetic waves at frequencies between 0.1 and 10 THz. Surface plasmons in graphene can be electrostatically gated or patterned via grating structures to achieve resonant control over absorption, transmission and emission of terahertz radiation. This capability underpins a range of devices including tunable filters, modulators, sensors, amplifiers and emitters, all of which benefit from compact footprints compatible with on-chip integration. The formation of plasmonic crystals—periodic modulations in carrier density or structure—enables the design of band-stop and band-pass filters whose centre frequencies shift dynamically with applied bias. Grating-gate geometries further permit phase transitions between delocalised and localised plasmonic modes, offering continuous tuning of resonance and confinement. Graphene-based heterostructures, combining monolayers with dielectric or tunnel barriers, facilitate voltage-controlled population inversion for both emission and detection of terahertz waves. Collectively, these advances chart a path towards low-power, room-temperature terahertz sources and detectors, as well as ultrafast active components for sensing, spectroscopy and wireless communications.

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Terahertz Plasmonics in Graphene-Based Devices and Applications publication trend

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Technical terms

Terahertz (THz): The electromagnetic band from 0.1 to 10 THz, situated between microwave and infrared, with applications in imaging, spectroscopy and communications.

Plasmon: A collective oscillation of free electrons at a conductor–dielectric interface that can couple to electromagnetic fields, enabling subwavelength confinement.

Surface plasmon polariton (SPP): A hybrid electromagnetic wave bound to a conductor–dielectric boundary, characterised by deep confinement and evanescent decay away from the interface.

Plasmonic crystal: A periodic structure or modulation in carrier density that creates band-like dispersion for plasmons, analogous to photonic crystals for light.

Grating-gate structure: A patterned electrode array that imposes a spatially periodic potential on a two-dimensional electron system to control plasmon resonances.

Chemical potential (in graphene): The Fermi level energy that determines carrier concentration, tunable via external voltage to modulate plasmon frequency and damping.

References

1. Electrical Tuning of Terahertz Plasmonic Crystal Phases. Physical Review X (2023).
2. Room-Temperature Amplification of Terahertz Radiation by Grating-Gate Graphene Structures. Physical Review X (2020).
3. Terahertz wave generation and detection in double-graphene layered van der Waals heterostructures. 2D Materials (2016).