Author: SURYA REVANTH AYYAGARI
Dissertation title: Integrated diffractive optical elements for terahertz beam shaping and polarization control
Fields of science: Physics P002
Scientific supervisor: dr. Irmantas Kašalynas
Defence of the dissertation: 23 May 2025
SUMMARY: This doctoral dissertation presents the design, development, and optimization of integrated diffractive optical elements (DOEs) for efficient beam focusing, polarization control and enhanced transparency in the terahertz (THz) frequency range (0.1–1 THz). Utilizing semiconductor- and metal-based elements, the research introduces hybrid multi-phase Fresnel zone plate (H-MPZP) lenses with reduced structural complexity and enhanced focusing performance, high contrast grating (HCG) waveplates with sinusoidal surface modulation for broadband polarization manipulation, and free-standing meta-surfaces composed of subwavelength resonators engineered to exploit electromagnetic coupling and anapole resonances for enhanced transparency and spectral control. Numerical simulations and experimental validations confirm the capability of these compact, lightweight, and integrable elements to deliver high efficiency, reduced reflection losses, and wide operational bandwidths. These findings offer promising pathways for advancing THz photonics in imaging, sensing, communication technologies, and semiconductor-integrated on-chip platforms.