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Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters
Published on: July 8, 2013
Graphene plasmonics for tunable terahertz metamaterials
Long Ju1, Baisong Geng, Jason Horng
1Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
Nature Nanotechnology
|September 6, 2011
Summary
Researchers tuned graphene plasmon resonances across the terahertz range by altering micro-ribbon width and doping. This opens possibilities for novel graphene-based terahertz metamaterials and optoelectronics.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Plasmons are collective electron oscillations crucial for electron dynamics and optical metamaterials.
- Graphene's two-dimensional massless electrons exhibit unique plasmon behavior, enabling tunable metamaterials for terahertz applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasmon excitations in engineered graphene micro-ribbon arrays.
- To demonstrate tunability of graphene plasmon resonances via structural and electrical means.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of graphene micro-ribbon arrays.
- In situ electrostatic doping to control carrier concentration.
- Optical spectroscopy to measure plasmon resonances.
Main Results:
- Graphene plasmon resonances were tunable over a broad terahertz frequency range by varying micro-ribbon width and carrier doping.
- Frequency tuning exhibited power-law behavior, characteristic of two-dimensional massless Dirac electrons.
- Observed strong room-temperature optical absorption peaks due to large oscillator strengths of plasmon resonances.
Conclusions:
- Graphene micro-ribbon arrays offer a platform for tunable terahertz plasmonics.
- The findings demonstrate significant light-plasmon coupling in graphene, paving the way for graphene-based terahertz metamaterials.
- Room-temperature operation and tunability highlight potential optoelectronic applications.
