Dynamically tunable terahertz passband filter based on metamaterials integrated with a graphene middle layer

The dynamic tunability of a terahertz（THz） passband filter was realized by changing the Fermi energy（EF） of graphene based on the sandwiched structure of metal-graphene-metal metamaterials（MGMs）. By using plane wave simulation, we demonstrated that the central frequency（ f0） of the proposed filter can shift from 5.04 THz to 5.71 THz; this shift is accompanied by a 3 dB bandwidth（ f） decrease from 1.82 THz to 0.01 THz as the EFincreases from 0 to 0.75 eV.Additionally, in order to select a suitable control equation for the proposed filter, the curves of f and f0 under different graphene EFwere fitted using five different mathematical models. The fitting results demonstrate that the Dose Resp model offers accurate predictions of the change in the 3 dB bandwidth, and the Quartic model can successfully describe the variation in the center frequency of the proposed filter. Moreover, the electric field and current density analyses show that the dynamic tuning property of the proposed filter is mainly caused by the competition of two coupling effects at different graphene EF, i.e., graphene-polyimide coupling and graphene-metal coupling. This study shows that the proposed structures are promising for realizing dynamically tunable filters in innovative THz communication systems.

Removal of organic matter and disinfection by-products precursors in a hybrid process combining ozonation with ceramic membrane ultrafiltration

The performance of an integrated process including coagulation, ozonation, ceramic ultrafiltration （UF） and biologic activated carbon （BAC） filtration was investigated for the removal of organic matter and disinfection by-products （DBPs） precursors from micropolluted surface water. A pilot scale plant with the capacity of 120 m3 per day was set up and operated for the treatment of drinking water. Ceramic membranes were used with the filtration area of 50 m2 and a pore size of 60 nm. Dissolved organic matter was divided into five fractions including hydrophobic acid （HoA）, base （HOB） and neutral （HoN）, weakly hydrophobic acid （WHOA） and hydrophilic matter （HIM） by DAX-8 and XAD-4 resins. The experiment results showed that the removal of organic matter was significantly improved with ozonation in advance. In sum, the integrated process removed 73% of dissolved organic carbon （DOC）, 87% of UV254, 77% of trihalomethane （THMs） precursors, 76% of haloacetic acid （HAAs） precursors, 83%of trichloracetic aldehyde （CH） precursor, 77% of dichloroaeetonitrile （DCAN） precursor, 51% of trichloroacetonitrile （TCAN） precursor, 96% of 1,1,1- trichloroacetone （TCP） precursor and 63% of trichloroni- tromethane （TCNM） precursor. Hydrophobic organic matter was converted into hydrophilic organic matter during ozonation/UF, while the organic matter with molecular weight of 1000-3000 Da was remarkably decreased and converted into lower molecular weight organic matter ranged from 200-500 Da. DOC had a close linear relationship with the formation potential of DBPs.

Ultra-sensitive Dirac-point-based biosensing on terahertz metasurfaces comprising patterned graphene and perovskites

Biosensors are a focus of research on terahertz metasurfaces. However, reports of ultra-sensitive biosensors based on Dirac points are rare. Here, a new terahertz metasurface is proposed that consists of patterned graphene and perovskites. This serves as an ultra-sensitive Dirac-point-based biosensor for qualitative detection of sericin.Theoretically, sericin may make graphene n-doped and drive the Fermi level to shift from the valence band to the Dirac point, causing a dramatic decrease in conductivity. Correspondingly, the dielectric environment on the metasurface undergoes significant change, which is suited for ultra-sensitive biosensing. In addition, metal halide perovskites, which are up-to-date optoelectronic materials, have a positive effect on the phase during terahertz wave transmission. Thus, this sensor was used to successfully detect sericin with a detection limit of 780 pg/m L, achieved by changing the amplitude and phase. The detection limit of this sensor is as much as one order of magnitude lower than that of sensors in published works. These results show that the Dirac-pointbased biosensor is a promising platform for a wide range of ultra-sensitive and qualitative detection in biosensing and biological sciences.

Microfluidic integrated metamaterials for active terahertz photonics

A depletion layer played by aqueous organic liquids flowing in a platform of microfluidic integrated metamaterials is experimentally used to actively modulate terahertz(THz)waves.The polar configuration of water molecules in a depletion layer gives rise to a damping of THz waves.The parallel coupling of the damping effect induced by a depletion layer with the resonant response by metamaterials leads to an excellent modulation depth approaching 90%in intensity and a great difference over 210°in phase shift.Also,a tunability of slow-light effect is displayed.Joint time-frequency analysis performed by the continuous wavelet transforms reveals the consumed energy with varying water content,indicating a smaller moment of inertia related to a shortened relaxation time of the depletion layer.This work,as part of THz aqueous photonics,diametrically highlights the availability of water in THz devices,paving an alternative way of studying THz wave–liquid interactions and developing active THz photonics.