Using a large graphene sheet, scientists from the Rice University and the Institute of Laser Engineering at Osaka University have found a way to control the transmission of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between terahertz and midinfrared.
Experiments showed that voltage applied to a sheet of graphene on a silicon-based substrate can turn it into a shutter for both terahertz and infrared wavelengths of light. Changing the voltage alters the Fermi energy of the grapheme, and the Fermi energy divides the conduction band and the valance band.
The new research shows significant progress in the science of controlling light of specific wavelengths, which could then be applied in the development of advanced optoelectronic sensing devices and electronics.
