Terahertz Beam Steering with Curved Metasurfaces

Abstract

Considerable recent research interest has focused on the possibility of using metasurfaces for manipulation of terahertz wavefronts. For example, metasurfaces allow a beam to be targeted in any desired direction using strategically placed meta-elements. With rapid prototyping techniques, metasurfaces can be fabricated quickly and at a low cost. These techniques also permit the fabrication of metasurfaces on flexible substrates which can be bent easily. This opens the possibility of employing such devices as conformable arrays on non-flat surfaces. To explore this idea, we experimentally and numerically analyze the performance of a terahertz metasurface printed on paper, as a function of its radius of curvature. We observe that when the metasurface is bent, the direction of the refracted beam is minimally impacted and the performance of the metasurface remains very similar to when it is flat. This conclusion will simplify the design and modeling criteria for conformable metasurfaces.