Real-time programmable metasurface for terahertz multifunctional wave front engineering

Area of Science:

• Terahertz (THz) technology
• Metamaterials
• Semiconductor devices

Background:

• Terahertz (THz) technologies are crucial for future communication and sensing.
• Agile engineering of THz wave fronts is a key challenge in the field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a reconfigurable metasurface for precise THz wave front control.
• To demonstrate the device's capabilities in beam scanning, multi-beam generation, and diffuse scattering.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based metasurface with an array-of-subarrays architecture.
• Employed a 1-bit digital coding sequence for subwavelength-spaced array control.
• Operated at frequencies near 0.34 THz.

Main Results:

• Achieved nearly arbitrary wave front control.
• Demonstrated wide-angle beam scanning (1° precision) across 70 GHz bandwidth.
• Showcased multi-beam and diffuse wave front generation with switching speeds up to 100 MHz.

Conclusions:

• The developed metasurface enables rapid reconfiguration of THz wave fronts.
• This technology facilitates beam-forming and wide-angle diffuse scattering for sensing and imaging.
• The device holds potential for advancing THz sensing, imaging, and networking applications.