Multipolar-interference-assisted terahertz waveplates via all-dielectric metamaterials

Polarization control via metamaterials boosts the design of polarimetric devices in the realm of terahertz technology for sensitive detection, bio-imaging, and wireless communication. Here, we propose all-dielectric metamaterials composed of silicon brick arrays that operate as terahertz quarter- and half-waveplates with close to unity transmission. Spherical multipole decomposition calculation indicates that the silicon brick can support multiple Mie-type resonances, such as electric dipole, electric quadrupole, magnetic dipole, and magnetic quadrupole modes. By tailoring the multipolar interference among these resonances, near unity transmission can be obtained with over π phase delay. We experimentally realize dielectric terahertz metamaterials that function as a quarter-wave plate at 0.79 THz and a half-wave plate at 0.91 THz with insertion losses of 0.54 and 1.25 dB, respectively. Such anisotropic dielectric metamaterials promise an exotic approach to engineer the interference among multipolar resona...