Search

We design and experimentally demonstrate a broadband metamaterial absorber in the terahertz (THz) band based on a periodic array of aluminum (Al) squares with two different sizes. A thin silicon dioxide (SiO2) film rather than a conventional polyimide (PI) layer is used as a dielectric spacer to separate Al squares from the platinum (Pt) ground plane in our design, which significantly improves the design precision and the feasibility of the device fabrication. The combination of different sizes of Al squares gives rise to an absorption bandwidth of over 210 GHz with an absorption of over 90%. Our results also show that our device is almost polarization-insensitive. It works very well for all azimuthal angles with an absorption of beyond 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of BaCu(B2O5) (BCB) addition on the microstructure, phase formation, and microwave dielectric properties of Ba5Nb4O15−BaWO4 ceramic are investigated. As a sintering aid, BaCu(B2O5) ceramic could effectively lower the sintering temperature of Ba5Nb4O15−BaWO4 ceramic from 1100 °C to 950 °C due to the liquid-phase effect. Meanwhile, BaCu(B2O5) addition effectively improves the densification of Ba5Nb4O15−BaWO4 ceramic and significantly influences the microwave dielectric properties. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that Ba5Nb4O15 and BaWO4 coexist with no crystal phase of BaCu(B2O5) in the sintered ceramics. The Ba5Nb4O15−BaWO4 ceramics with 1.0 wt% BaCu(B2O5) sintered at 950 °C for 2 h presents good microwave dielectric properties of εr = 19.0, high Q×f of 33802 GHz and low τf of 2.5 ppm/°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the addition of H3BO3 on the microstructure, phase formation, and microwave dielectric properties of (Zn0.7Mg0.3)TiO3 ceramics sintered at temperatures ranging from 890 °C to 950 °C are investigated. H3BO3 as a sintering agent can effectively lower the sintering temperature of ZMT ceramics below 950 °C due to the liquid-phase effect. The microwave dielectric properties are found to strongly correlate with the amount of H3BO3. With the increase in H3BO3 content, the dielectric constant (εr) monotonically increases, but the quality factor (Q × f) reaches a maximum at 1 wt% H3BO3, and the apparent density of ZMT ceramics with H3BO3 ≥ 1 wt% gradually decreases. At 950 °C, the ZMT ceramics with 1% H3BO3 exhibit excellent microwave dielectric properties: εr = 19.8, and Q × f = 43800 GHz (8.94 GHz). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality VO2 thin films have been fabricated on silicon substrates using magnetron sputtering by introducing Al2O3 thin films as a buffer. The ultrathin Al2O3 deposited by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition leads to a greatly improved crystallinity and textures in VO2 films. Dramatic change in electrical resistivity (4 orders of magnitude) and a small thermal hysteresis loop (~4 K) are obtained across the metal–insulator phase transition (MIT). Remarkably, by applying perpendicular voltage to a VO2/Al2O3 based metal/VO2/semiconductor device, electrically driven MIT switching characteristics have been observed with a tiny tunneling leakage current of ~10 μA. These results show that an electric field alone is sufficient to trigger the MIT, and the realization of VO2 based ultrafast electrical switching devices on a silicon substrate is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]