Interdigitated terahertz metamaterial sensors: design with the dielectric perturbation theory

Designing terahertz sensors for highly sensitive detection of nanoscale thin films and a few biomolecules poses a substantial challenge but is crucial for unlocking their full potential in scientific research and advanced applications. This work presents a strategy for optimizing metamaterial sensors in detecting small quantities of dielectric materials. The amount of frequency shift depends on intrinsic properties (electric field distribution, Q-factor, and mode volume) of the bare cavity as well as the overlap volume of its high-electric-field zone(s) and the analyte. Guided by the simplified dielectric perturbation theory, interdigitated electric split-ring resonators (ID-eSRRs) are devised to significantly enhance the detection sensitivity compared with eSRRs without interdigitated fingers. ID-eSRR’s fingers redistribute the electric field, creating strongly localized enhancements, which boost analyte interaction. The periodic change of the inherent antiphase electric field reduces radiation loss, leading to a higher Q-factor. Experiments with ID-eSRR sensors operating at around 300 GHz demonstrate a remarkable 33.5 GHz frequency shift upon depositing a 150 nm SiO₂ layer as an analyte simulant, with a figure of merit improvement of over 50 times compared with structures without interdigitated fingers. This rational design offers a promising avenue for highly sensitive detection of thin films and trace biomolecules.