Versatile Protrusive VO<sub>2</sub> Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption

Yong-Rok Han; Kwang-Hyok Kim; Kwang-Jin Ri

doi:doi:10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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Versatile Protrusive VO₂ Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption

Yong-Rok Han

, Kwang-Hyok Kim

, Kwang-Jin Ri^*

Published in Optics (Volume 13, Issue 2)

Received: 1 August 2025 Accepted: 15 August 2025 Published: 8 September 2025

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Abstract

Until now, it has been conventional to design tunable metamaterial absorbers with single layer scheme of metal-dielectric-VO₂. For further expansion of the operating bandwidth, the construction method stacking several layers of dielctric-VO₂ has been utilized. However, the single layer configuration of metal-dielectric-VO₂ cannot extend the absorption bandwidth to the entire THz band. Meanwhile, In the stacking method, other VO₂ resonators excepting the topmost VO₂ resonator are embedded in the dielectric substrate. This unavoidably leads to the delay in response time to external stimuli. So, apart from these conventional methods, we have conceived the protrusive VO₂ metamaterials, which are effective for overcoming the above limitations. The protrusive VO₂ metamaterials consist of a VO₂ square ring, a protrusive VO₂ square patch and a polyimide substrate backed with a gold bottom plane. Based on the proposed design idea, we demonstrate a tunable ultra-broadband THz metamaterial absorber (MA) with bandwidth of 9.39 THz. That is, the protrusive VO₂ metamaterials greatly enlarge the operating bandwidth with perfect absorption. The proposed MA can obtain the absorptivity above 90% in range of 1.67-11.06 THz, with relative absorption bandwidth of 147.52%. Moreover, the protrusive VO₂ metamaterials can realize the absorption tunability by modifying the conductivity of VO₂. Additionally, we also demonstrate that the idea of protrusive VO₂ metamaterials is very useful for designing several tunable ultra-broadband THz MAs. Owing to the excellent structural versatility, the protrusive VO₂ metamaterials are of great value for THz applications.

Published in	Optics (Volume 13, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12
Page(s)	24-32
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Metamaterial Absorber, Versatile, Protrusive, Tunable, Terahertz, Vanadium Dioxide

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APA Style

Han, Y., Kim, K., Ri, K. (2025). Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics, 13(2), 24-32. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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ACS Style

Han, Y.; Kim, K.; Ri, K. Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics. 2025, 13(2), 24-32. doi: 10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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AMA Style

Han Y, Kim K, Ri K. Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics. 2025;13(2):24-32. doi: 10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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@article{10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12,
  author = {Yong-Rok Han and Kwang-Hyok Kim and Kwang-Jin Ri},
  title = {Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption
},
  journal = {Optics},
  volume = {13},
  number = {2},
  pages = {24-32},
  doi = {10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.optics.20251302.12},
  abstract = {Until now, it has been conventional to design tunable metamaterial absorbers with single layer scheme of metal-dielectric-VO2. For further expansion of the operating bandwidth, the construction method stacking several layers of dielctric-VO2 has been utilized. However, the single layer configuration of metal-dielectric-VO2 cannot extend the absorption bandwidth to the entire THz band. Meanwhile, In the stacking method, other VO2 resonators excepting the topmost VO2 resonator are embedded in the dielectric substrate. This unavoidably leads to the delay in response time to external stimuli. So, apart from these conventional methods, we have conceived the protrusive VO2 metamaterials, which are effective for overcoming the above limitations. The protrusive VO2 metamaterials consist of a VO2 square ring, a protrusive VO2 square patch and a polyimide substrate backed with a gold bottom plane. Based on the proposed design idea, we demonstrate a tunable ultra-broadband THz metamaterial absorber (MA) with bandwidth of 9.39 THz. That is, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials greatly enlarge the operating bandwidth with perfect absorption. The proposed MA can obtain the absorptivity above 90% in range of 1.67-11.06 THz, with relative absorption bandwidth of 147.52%. Moreover, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials can realize the absorption tunability by modifying the conductivity of VO2. Additionally, we also demonstrate that the idea of protrusive VO2 metamaterials is very useful for designing several tunable ultra-broadband THz MAs. Owing to the excellent structural versatility, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials are of great value for THz applications.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption

AU - Yong-Rok Han
AU - Kwang-Hyok Kim
AU - Kwang-Jin Ri
Y1 - 2025/09/08
PY - 2025
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12
DO - 10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12
T2 - Optics
JF - Optics
JO - Optics
SP - 24
EP - 32
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2328-7810
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12
AB - Until now, it has been conventional to design tunable metamaterial absorbers with single layer scheme of metal-dielectric-VO2. For further expansion of the operating bandwidth, the construction method stacking several layers of dielctric-VO2 has been utilized. However, the single layer configuration of metal-dielectric-VO2 cannot extend the absorption bandwidth to the entire THz band. Meanwhile, In the stacking method, other VO2 resonators excepting the topmost VO2 resonator are embedded in the dielectric substrate. This unavoidably leads to the delay in response time to external stimuli. So, apart from these conventional methods, we have conceived the protrusive VO2 metamaterials, which are effective for overcoming the above limitations. The protrusive VO2 metamaterials consist of a VO2 square ring, a protrusive VO2 square patch and a polyimide substrate backed with a gold bottom plane. Based on the proposed design idea, we demonstrate a tunable ultra-broadband THz metamaterial absorber (MA) with bandwidth of 9.39 THz. That is, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials greatly enlarge the operating bandwidth with perfect absorption. The proposed MA can obtain the absorptivity above 90% in range of 1.67-11.06 THz, with relative absorption bandwidth of 147.52%. Moreover, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials can realize the absorption tunability by modifying the conductivity of VO2. Additionally, we also demonstrate that the idea of protrusive VO2 metamaterials is very useful for designing several tunable ultra-broadband THz MAs. Owing to the excellent structural versatility, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials are of great value for THz applications.

VL - 13
IS - 2
ER -

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Author Information

Yong-Rok Han

Institute of Information Technology, University of Sciences, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-4062-8490
Kwang-Hyok Kim

Institute of Information Technology, University of Sciences, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0005-2285-946X
Kwang-Jin Ri

Department of Physics, University of Sciences, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-2603-2724

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APA Style

Han, Y., Kim, K., Ri, K. (2025). Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics, 13(2), 24-32. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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ACS Style

Han, Y.; Kim, K.; Ri, K. Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics. 2025, 13(2), 24-32. doi: 10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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AMA Style

Han Y, Kim K, Ri K. Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption. Optics. 2025;13(2):24-32. doi: 10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12

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@article{10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12,
  author = {Yong-Rok Han and Kwang-Hyok Kim and Kwang-Jin Ri},
  title = {Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption
},
  journal = {Optics},
  volume = {13},
  number = {2},
  pages = {24-32},
  doi = {10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.optics.20251302.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.optics.20251302.12},
  abstract = {Until now, it has been conventional to design tunable metamaterial absorbers with single layer scheme of metal-dielectric-VO2. For further expansion of the operating bandwidth, the construction method stacking several layers of dielctric-VO2 has been utilized. However, the single layer configuration of metal-dielectric-VO2 cannot extend the absorption bandwidth to the entire THz band. Meanwhile, In the stacking method, other VO2 resonators excepting the topmost VO2 resonator are embedded in the dielectric substrate. This unavoidably leads to the delay in response time to external stimuli. So, apart from these conventional methods, we have conceived the protrusive VO2 metamaterials, which are effective for overcoming the above limitations. The protrusive VO2 metamaterials consist of a VO2 square ring, a protrusive VO2 square patch and a polyimide substrate backed with a gold bottom plane. Based on the proposed design idea, we demonstrate a tunable ultra-broadband THz metamaterial absorber (MA) with bandwidth of 9.39 THz. That is, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials greatly enlarge the operating bandwidth with perfect absorption. The proposed MA can obtain the absorptivity above 90% in range of 1.67-11.06 THz, with relative absorption bandwidth of 147.52%. Moreover, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials can realize the absorption tunability by modifying the conductivity of VO2. Additionally, we also demonstrate that the idea of protrusive VO2 metamaterials is very useful for designing several tunable ultra-broadband THz MAs. Owing to the excellent structural versatility, the protrusive VO2 metamaterials are of great value for THz applications.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Versatile Protrusive VO2 Metamaterials Enabling Tunable Ultra-broadband Terahertz Absorption

VL - 13
IS - 2
ER -

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