Graphene/liquid crystal-based multifunctional structure for tunable metasurface

Optical devices requiring a compact and intelligent design find multifunctionality and reconfigurability to be of paramount importance. In this manuscript, we present a numerical investigation of a new design exhibiting these features. The proposed structure relies on the joint paradigm of 1D photonic crystals (PhC) and reconfigurable materials (graphene and liquid crystals). This composite structure can perform several reconfigurable narrowband optical functions such as notch filtering, amplitude modulation, and phase shifting. The effects on the behavior of this structure of monolayer graphene and liquid crystal polarization are independent of each other and allow control of absorbance intensity, phase shift action, and spectral position of resonance are detailed. This structure may find use in the design of smart reconfigurable metasurfaces, for optical modulators and beam-steering systems.