A balanced ternary 2-9 decoder based on a terahertz metasurface and its sensing applications

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Metamaterials
• Terahertz Technology

Background:

• Increasing demand for multi-valued logic devices in terahertz communication.
• Limitations of binary logic devices in terms of information density and power consumption.
• Scarcity of research on terahertz metasurface multi-value decoders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a balanced ternary 2-9 decoder for terahertz metamaterials.
• To utilize graphene and strontium titanate (STO) for multi-valued logic functions.
• To explore the device's potential for sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Design of a terahertz metasurface decoder based on graphene and STO.
• Control of voltage and temperature to achieve 2-9 decoding functions.
• Numerical validation of the device's performance and sensing capabilities.

Main Results:

• Achieved 2-9 decoding function in the terahertz frequency band with logic inputs -1, 0, and 1.
• Demonstrated high modulation depth (97.60%), low extinction ratio (1.05 dB), and minimal insertion loss (0.21 dB).
• Exhibited insensitivity to incident and polarization angles, and dual functionality as refractive index and temperature sensors.

Conclusions:

• The proposed device offers a novel approach for terahertz multi-valued logic decoding and sensing.
• This work provides new ideas for enhancing terahertz single-chip decoding capabilities.
• The device shows promise for developing advanced terahertz communication systems and sensors.