Versatile metal-wire waveguides for broadband terahertz signal processing and multiplexing
Publication date
2022-02-08
Document type
Research article
Author
Dong, Junliang
Tomasino, Alessandro
Balistreri, Giacomo
You, Pei
Vorobiov, Anton
Charette, Étienne
Le Drogoff, Boris
Chaker, Mohamed
Yurtsever, Aycan
Stivala, Salvatore
Vincenti, Maria A
De Angelis, Costantino
Azaña, José
Morandotti, Roberto
Organisational unit
Pubmed ID
Series or journal
Nature Communications
Periodical volume
13
Peer-reviewed
✅
Part of the university bibliography
✅
Abstract
Waveguides play a pivotal role in the full deployment of terahertz communication systems. Besides signal transporting, innovative terahertz waveguides are required to provide versatile signal-processing functionalities. Despite fundamental components, such as Bragg gratings, have been recently realized, they typically rely on complex hybridization, in turn making it extremely challenging to go beyond the most elementary functions. Here, we propose a universal approach, in which multiscale-structured Bragg gratings can be directly etched on metal-wires. Such an approach, in combination with diverse waveguide designs, allows for the realization of a unique platform with remarkable structural simplicity, yet featuring unprecedented signal-processing capabilities. As an example, we introduce a four-wire waveguide geometry, amenable to support the low-loss and low-dispersion propagation of polarization-division multiplexed terahertz signals. Furthermore, by engraving on the wires judiciously designed Bragg gratings based on multiscale structures, it is possible to independently manipulate two polarization-division multiplexed terahertz signals. This platform opens up new exciting perspectives for exploiting the polarization degree of freedom and ultimately boosting the capacity and spectral efficiency of future terahertz networks.
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