Actively programmable MEMS-based racetrack-shaped terahertz metamaterial

We present four designs of actively tunable micro-electro-mechanical system-based racetrack-shaped metamaterials (RSMs), which are denoted as RSM_1, RSM_2, RSM_3, and RSM_4, respectively. RSM_1 is composed of asymmetrically single RSM, while RSM_2, RSM_3, and RSM_4 are all composed of asymmetrically double RSM layers with different rotation angles of 0 & DEG;, 90 & DEG;, and 180 & DEG;, respectively. RSM_1 exhibits single-resonance in the transverse electric mode and dual-resonance in the transverse magnetic mode to perform the polarization-dependent characteristic. RSM_2, RSM_3, and RSM_4 exhibit tunable multi-resonance characteristics. By changing the height of the suspended layer, RSM_2, RSM_3, and RSM_4 exhibit optical switching characteristics. These switching resonances can be equivalent to binary bits, i.e., "0 " and "1, " which can be programmed for opto-logic applications. These four designs of RSM devices possess the programmable multidigit switching characteristic by changing the incident polarization light. This study provides the possibility of a terahertz metamaterial to be used in the switch, programmable device, radar, and optical wireless communication applications. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.