Ultra-Broadband Metasurface Absorber Enabled by a Central-Bar-Coupled Split-Disk Dimer.

Abstract

A hybrid metasurface absorber (MSA) based on a central-bar-coupled split-disk dimer is proposed and numerically investigated for high-resolution refractive-index sensing in the near-infrared spectral region. The metasurface consists of silicon nitride dielectric resonators integrated with a gold plasmonic layer, enabling strong electromagnetic confinement, enhanced light-matter interaction, and ultra-narrow resonant features within the 1000-1400 nm wavelength range. The optimized structure supports multiple resonant modes under both x- and y-polarized excitation, producing sharp reflection dips with full-width-at-half-maximum values as low as 0.58 nm and quality factors reaching 2007. Refractive-index sensing performance was evaluated by varying the aqueous superstrate refractive index from 1.33 to 1.35, resulting in bulk sensitivities up to 860 nm/RIU under normal incidence. The angular response was further analyzed for incidence angles up to 5°, revealing polarization-dependent resonance splitting and the emergence of additional high-Q resonant branches under oblique excitation. Several angularly induced resonances exhibit narrower linewidths than those observed at normal incidence while preserving high refractive-index sensitivity up to 870 nm/RIU. Electric-field distributions confirm strong field localization near the dielectric boundaries and coupling regions, validating the hybrid resonant mechanism responsible for the enhanced spectral selectivity and sensing performance. The proposed MSA provides a promising platform for compact and ultrasensitive biosensing applications.