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Cited by 131Metamaterials and Metasurfaces ApplicationsAdvanced Antenna and Metasurface TechnologiesTerahertz technology and applications

Broadband Linear-to-Circular Polarization Conversion Enabled by Birefringent Off-Resonance Reflective Metasurfaces

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Chang, Chun-Chieh, Zhao, Zhexin, Li, Dongfang, Taylor, Antoinette J., Fan, Shanhui, Chen, Hou-Tong·2019·Physical Review Letters
DOI 10.1103/physrevlett.123.237401
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Abstract

Due to the scarcity of circular polarization light sources, linear-to-circular polarization conversion is required to generate circularly polarized light for a variety of applications. Despite significant past efforts, broadband linear-to-circular polarization conversion remains elusive particularly in the terahertz and midinfrared frequency ranges. Here we propose a novel mechanism based on coupled mode theory, and experimentally demonstrate at terahertz frequencies that highly efficient (power conversion efficiency approaching unity) and ultrabroadband (fractional bandwidth up to 80%) linear-to-circular polarization conversion can be accomplished by the judicious design of birefringent metasurfaces. The underlying mechanism operates in the frequency range between well separated resonances, and relies upon the phase response of these resonances away from the resonant frequencies, as well as the balance of the resonant and nonresonant channels. This mechanism is applicable for any operating frequencies from microwave to visible. The present Letter potentially opens a wide range of opportunities in wireless communications, spectroscopy, and emergent quantum materials research where circularly polarized light is desired.

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  • It has been difficult to directly generate broadband circularly polarized THz radiation; efforts to develop a THz circular polarizer or linear-to-circular polarization converter suffer from limited bandwidth up to one octave or from being bulky and difficult to deploy.

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    From Ultrafast terahertz emission from emerging symmetry-broken materials (2023) · cites this paper as [210]

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Authors
Chang, C.-C., Zhao, Z., Li, D., Taylor, A. J., Fan, S., & Chen, H.-T.
Affiliations
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory (US)
  • Stanford University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Physical Review Letters
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Published
2019-12-04
Volume
123
Issue
23
Pages
237401-237401
ISSN
  • 0031-9007 (ISSN-L)
  • 1079-7114
DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.123.237401
OpenAlex
W2993734182
Cited by
131
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 9
FWCI
4.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
link.aps.org/licenses/aps-default-license (vor)
Locations
  • Physical Review Letters (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DE-FG02-07ER46426, 89233218CNA000001)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Advanced Antenna and Metasurface Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Terahertz technology and applications
Keywords
linear-to-circular polarization conversion, terahertz metasurfaces, broadband polarization conversion, coupled mode theory

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