Tunable Broadband-Narrowband and Dual-Broadband Terahertz Absorber Based on a Hybrid Metamaterial Vanadium Dioxide and Graphene

We propose a functionally tunable terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorber, which has the switching performance between broadband-narrowband and dual-broadband near-perfect absorption due to the phase transition of Vanadium dioxide (VO2) and the tunable electrical property of graphene. The switching absorption properties are verified by computer simulation technology (CST) microwave study. The simulation results show that when VO2 is in the metallic phase, over 90% broadband absorption is realized in the 3.85-6.32 THz range. When the VO2 is in the insulating phase, the absorber shows quadruple narrowband absorption. By changing the Fermi level of graphene and the conductivity of VO2, the low-frequency broadband of 3.85-6.32 THz can be switched to the high-frequency broadband of 6.92-8.92 THz, and the absorber can be switched from a quadruple narrowband to a nearly singlefold narrowband. In addition, the proposed absorber is insensitive to polarization due to its symmetry and wide incident angle. The design may have potential applications in the THz range, such as switches, electromagnetic shielding, cloaking objects, filtering, sensing, and so on.

Automated summary

We propose a functionally tunable terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorber, which can switch between broadband-narrowband and dual-broadband near-perfect absorption. This switching performance is achieved through the phase transition of Vanadium dioxide (VO2) and the tunable electrical property of graphene. Computer simulation technology (CST) microwave study verifies the switching absorption properties. The proposed absorber has potential applications in THz range, such as switches, electromagnetic shielding, cloaking objects, filtering, sensing, etc.