On-chip terahertz isolator with ultrahigh isolation ratios.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34552079.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-25881-0 and PMC identifier 8458294.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Terahertz isolators, one of the typical nonreciprocal devices that can break Lorentz reciprocity, are indispensable building blocks in terahertz systems for their critical functionality of manipulating the terahertz flow. Here, we report an integrated terahertz isolator based on the magneto-optical effect of a nonreciprocal resonator. By optimizing the magneto-optical property and the loss of the resonator, we experimentally observe unidirectional propagation with an ultrahigh isolation ratio reaching up to 52 dB and an insertion loss around 7.5 dB at ~0.47 THz. With a thermal tuning method and periodic resonances, the isolator can operate at different central frequencies in the range of 0.405-0.495 THz. This on-chip terahertz isolator will not only inspire more solutions for integrated terahertz nonreciprocal devices, but also have the feasibility for practical applications such as terahertz sensing and reducing unnecessary reflections in terahertz systems.