Opal-based terahertz optical elements fabricated by self-assembly of porous SiO2 nanoparticles
| Autor: | Maksim Skorobogatiy, Vladislav A. Zhelnov, Gleb M. Katyba, Kirill I. Zaytsev, V. E. Ulitko, Vladimir M. Masalov, G. A. Emel’chenko, I. E. Spector, Vladimir N. Kurlov, I. M. Shmyt’ko |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Fabrication
Materials science business.industry Terahertz radiation Annealing (metallurgy) Nanoparticle Polishing 02 engineering and technology 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology 01 natural sciences Atomic and Molecular Physics and Optics 010309 optics Optics 0103 physical sciences Optoelectronics Focal length 0210 nano-technology business Porosity Refractive index |
| Zdroj: | Optics Express. 29:13764 |
| ISSN: | 1094-4087 |
| Popis: | In this paper, we study artificial opals as a promising material platform for terahertz (THz) optics. Materials were synthesized using self-assembly of porous SiO2 nanoparticles and annealing at different temperatures to further tune their optical properties. Two distinct approaches for the fabrication of bulk THz optics from these novel materials were considered. First, THz cylindrical lenses of identical geometry but different refractive indices and focal lengths were produced using standard mechanical processing of opals, in order to highlight their compatibility with conventional technologies of bulk optics fabrication. Second, a THz axicone was made via direct sedimentation of aqueous colloidal suspension of SiO2 nanoparticles in the mold of geometry inverse to that of a desired optical shape, followed by annealing and polishing. The second approach has an advantage of being considerably less labor intensive, while capable of obtaining optical elements of complex geometries. Thus fabricated bulk THz optical elements were studied experimentally using continuous-wave THz imaging, and the results were compared with 2D and 3D numerical predictions based on the finite-difference time-domain and finite-element frequency-domain methods. Our findings highlight technological robustness of the developed THz optical material platform and, thus, open the door for creating a variety of bulk THz optical elements of complex shapes and widely-tunable optical performance. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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