Au/Nb₂O₅ terahertz-gigahertz electro-optical filters designed for high frequency applications

Abstract

Herein enhanced broad band filters are fabricated by deposing thin films of Nb2O5 onto glass and semitransparent Au nanosheets using the ion coating technique. Remarkable enhancement in the surface roughness of the films and in the visible and infrared light absorption by more than 270 % and 750%, respectively, is achieved by coating the films onto Au nanosheets. Au nanosheets redshifted the energy band gap and initiated the free carrier absorption in the Nb2O5 films. As terahertz band filters, Au/Nb2O5 interfaces exhibited higher dielectric constant, higher optical conductivity and higher terahertz cutoff frequency values. Au/Nb2O5 optical filters showed terahertz resonator characteristics displaying six resonance modes two, three and one of which are dominant in the infrared, visible and ultraviolet ranges, respectively. On the other hand the impedance spectroscopy analyses for Au/Nb2O5/Au (ANA) filter showed microwave resonator characteristics with cutoff frequency values reaching 700 GHz for signal carriers of driving frequency of 1.65 GHz. ANA devices exhibited negative capacitance effect in a wide range of driving frequency domain. The features of the Au/Nb2O5 films demonstrate their potential for use as gigahertz-terahertz broad band electro-optical resonators suitable for high frequency applications.