Super-resolution focusing of terahertz plasmonic surface waves

Terahertz waves remain one of the most underdeveloped branches of the electromagnetic spectrum. Numerous properties of terahertz radiation promise essential applications in remote sensing, imag-ing, spectroscopy, and healthcare. This project aims to innovate control and focusing of plasmonic terahertz surface waves propagating through time-domain near-field platforms.

The investigator and team are addressing technical issues that can significantly increase the intensity of plasmonic terahertz surface waves. The innovations obtained from this research represent a technological breakthrough which meets the needs of applications in fundamental scientific research and terahertz commercialization.

This project investigates plasmonic surface wave focusing in the terahertz regime and develops advanced plasmonic meta-devices. Specifically, this research is delivering the following innovations:

(1) Demonstrating terahertz plasmonic surface wave focusing with flexible control of focusing location and intensity, as well as features such as single-focus and dual-focus.

(2) Demonstrating super-resolution focusing of plasmonic surface waves in the terahertz regime with an ultimate goal of significantly enhancing the peak intensity of plasmonic surface waves to-ward nonlinear terahertz optics and nonlinear plasmonics.

(3) Developing novel plasmonic meta-devices with versatile functionalities, enabling a powerful tool to manipulate the launching and focusing of terahertz surface waves at will. The fabrication procedure, fast prototyping, and experimental validation process in this project offer proof-of-concept prototypes of plasmonic meta-devices.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.