Investigation of effective medium absorbers for possible sensing applications in the sub-1 THz region

2022-9-2
Demirörs, Oytun
Imaging in the terahertz (THz) region has receiving great attention in recent years with its very attractive diverse application possibilities from security to health, from bio to material inspection. However, the nature of the THz frequency region brings many challenges to development of sources and sensors for imaging applications. Some of the challenges are requirement of large pixel-pitches, high fabrication and maintenance costs, and low emission levels of the sources at room temperature. Due to the strong atmospheric attenuation of THz waves above 1 THz, it is better to produce a sensing pixel operating in frequencies below 1 THz. Large pixel pitches for long wavelengths and thicker absorber layers due to the low absorption coefficients that result in higher thermal mass causes challenges in microfabrication and, thus, in sensing applications. Because of these limitations, a unique absorber design for the THz region is required to get lighter antenna structures for THz sensors. In this study, with an aim of tuning THz response of absorber and antenna structures, TiAlV periodic elements with various sizes embedded into SixNy films were designed, prepared on p-type silicon substrate, and evaluated using THz time- domain spectroscopy. The designs were supported in silico with Bruggeman Effective Medium Theory simulations. The experimental properties were found to be in agreement with the simulations in part. The deviation is possibly due to the limitation in the making of the model structure and also possibly due to the simplification of the model relative to the experimental structure. Overall, effects of fabrication parameters on the THz response of the thin films are compared and reported. Further optimization of the process flow for appropriate wafer level uniformity is needed for the thin films with higher (around 30%, volumetric) metal content.

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Citation Formats
O. Demirörs, “Investigation of effective medium absorbers for possible sensing applications in the sub-1 THz region,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2022.