Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-based terahertz linear polarizer made by femtosecond pulse laser ablation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics and Photonics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• High extinction ratio (ER) and low insertion loss (IL) linear polarizers are critical for terahertz (THz) applications.
• Existing polarizers often face limitations in performance or cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a novel Ti3C2Tx MXene-based terahertz linear polarizer.
• To investigate the effect of line density on polarizer performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Ti3C2Tx MXene thin film using femtosecond pulse laser ablation.
• Creating a 7-µm vacant linewidth on the MXene film.
• Systematic variation of line density to optimize performance.

Main Results:

• Achieved a significant improvement in ER from 11 dB to 20 dB with increased line density.
• Reduced IL from 1.5 dB to 0.3 dB by increasing line density.
• Demonstrated transmittance following Malus's law and superior directivity compared to PEC-based polarizers.

Conclusions:

• Ti3C2Tx MXene is a promising material for high-performance, cost-effective terahertz linear polarizers.
• Femtosecond laser ablation offers precise control for fabricating advanced optical components.
• The developed polarizer exhibits excellent performance metrics suitable for advanced terahertz technologies.