Electrically tunable polarizer based on graphene-loaded plasmonic cross antenna

Area of Science:

• Plasmonics
• Optoelectronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Graphene exhibits unique gate-voltage dependent optical properties.
• Electrically tunable plasmonic materials are crucial for advanced optoelectronic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate in situ control of nanoantenna polarization using electrostatically tunable graphene.
• To design and model an asymmetric cross nanoantenna integrated with graphene for tunable polarization.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an asymmetric cross nanoantenna on a Si/SiO2 substrate with an embedded graphene monolayer.
• Electrostatic doping of graphene to tune its chemical potential.
• Electromagnetic modeling to analyze the optical response and polarization control.

Main Results:

• Graphene integration enabled electrical tuning of resonant wavelengths in the mid-infrared range.
• Tunable polarization control from circular to near-linear states was achieved.
• An axial ratio change exceeding 8 dB demonstrated effective polarization modulation.

Conclusions:

• Strong light-graphene interaction with metallic nanostructures was confirmed.
• The proposed device offers a promising platform for high-speed, electrically controllable optoelectronic applications.
• Graphene's tunable properties are key to achieving dynamic polarization control in nanoantennas.