A single dual-frequency reflective metasurface for simultaneous multi-mode orbital angular momentum multiplexing

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a dual-frequency reflective metasurface that utilizes geometric phase to achieve multiple modes of orbital angular momentum (OAM). The metasurface consists of two metal layers and a dielectric layer sandwiched between them, with independent control of amplitude and phase modulation at two frequency points by rotating the outer split ring and inner cross structures on the top layer of the metasurface. When circularly polarized (CP) terahertz waves impinge on the metasurface, it is possible to achieve a single-beam normal reflection, single-beam anomalous reflection, and dual-beam reflection in the form of OAM vortex beams. Specifically, for right-hand circular polarization (RCP) incidence, at the frequency of 140 GHz, its vertical reflection is the OAM beam of mode +2, and at the frequency of 200 GHz, its vertical reflection is the OAM beam of mode +1; for left-hand circular polarization (LCP) incidence, at the frequency of 140 GHz, its vertical reflection is the OAM beam of mode −2, and at the frequency of 200 GHz, the corresponding vertical reflection is the OAM beam of mode −1. Additionally, anomalously reflected OAM beams are designed, which, after RCP incidence on the metasurface, produce an OAM beam with mode −1 and a reflection angle of 17° at 140 GHz, and an OAM beam with mode +1 and a reflection angle of 12° at 200 GHz. Finally, a dual-beam OAM reflective metasurface is designed, which generates two vortex beams with mode +2 at 140 GHz and two vortex beams with mode +1 at 200 GHz under RCP incidence. Therefore, the metasurface designed in this paper has broad application prospects in multi-channel transmission for future terahertz communication systems.