Integrated terahertz topological valley-locked power divider with arbitrary power ratios

Abstract

Integrated power dividers (PDs) are essential in terahertz (THz) communication and radar systems, but miniaturization often leads to performance degradation due to fabrication inaccuracies and sharp bends. Topological photonics offers a solution to these issues, yet creating THz power dividers with arbitrary splitting ratios remains challenging. We present a design methodology for on-chip topological THz power dividers with customizable splitting ratios using valley-locked photonic crystals. These crystals feature a tri-layered structure with two distinct valley Chern number layers and an intermediate semimetal layer. Utilizing the Jackiw–Rebbi model, we show that the characteristic impedance of the valley-locked photonic crystals, and thus the power division ratio, can be tuned by adjusting the semimetal layer width. Our approach is validated through simulations and experiments for both equal (1:1) and unequal (4:9) power ratios. This method enables efficient navigation around sharp bends and robust THz on-chip connectivity.