Abstract:A terahertz (THz) polarizer and switch structure is proposed based on the phase transition of vanadium dioxide (VO2). When VO2 is in the insulation phase, the resonance frequencies of the proposed structure are 1.49 THz and 1.22 THz for the x- and y-polarization, respectively. It can perform as a THz polarizer with extinction ratios of 52.5 dB and 17 dB for the y- and x-polarization, respectively; When VO2 transforms into metallic phase, the resonance frequency for x-polarization wave shifts from 1.49 THz to 1.22 THz, while that remains still for the y-polarization component. It means that the structure can work as a polarization-dependent THz switch with a high extinction ratio of 32 dB.