VO₂ based multi-functional ultra-wideband terahertz meta-absorber for EMI shielding application

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a multifunctional tuneable wideband metasurface absorber based on phase-changing Vanadium dioxide (VO₂). The ‘quad isotropic VO₂ circular sectors’ are constructed on amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO₂), backed with 0.2 µm-thick gold layer to design the proposed absorber. This novel wideband tunable structure can independently be used as a reflector and absorber as an EMI shield; hence, this multi-functionality in a single structure proves novel and unique in the terahertz frequency range. This unit cell offers a bandwidth of 3.5 THz with more than 90% of absorptivity under normal wave incidence. The equivalent circuit model, surface currents, and field distributions are further investigated to provide a better understanding of structural evolution. Moreover, a wideband absorption has been observed up to the 60° incident angle for both the transverse modes, showing a polarization-insensitive behavior due to the symmetricity in the structure. The parametric study explores, optimizes, and demonstrates various other main characteristics and parameters of the proposed absorber. The novel structure offers shielding effectiveness (SE) higher than 40 dB throughout the frequency band under both normal and oblique incidence. This outstanding performance makes it a strong contender for EMI-EMC applications. Furthermore, it shows great potential in the field of terahertz technology, such as terahertz imagers, detectors, sensors, and other wideband applications.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• PIM (polarization insensitive metamaterial)
• reflector
• shielding
• terahertz Wideband Absorber
• vanadium dioxide

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).