Multi-resonance and ultra-wideband terahertz metasurface absorber based on micro-template-assisted self-assembly method.

As a promising platform for multi-functional terahertz devices, metasurface absorbers have received widespread attention in recent years. However, due to the existence of manufacturing difficulties, high cost, fragility, single or narrow absorption and other disadvantages, their application ranges are severely limited. Therefore, to effectively solve these problems, we have designed a flexible and high-precision terahertz metasurface absorber based on the micro-template assisted self-assembly method. Free from high cost, complicated process and time-consumption, the sandwich structure terahertz metasurface absorber consisting of a ceramic microspheres layer, a dielectric spacer layer, and a metal copper film is fabricated economically. On the one hand, through assembling the microspheres on the dielectric spacer in a periodic pattern arrangement, multiple resonances can be observed with a maximum absorption rate of up to 92.5% at 0.745 THz and are insensitive to the polarization of incident light. On the other hand, by attaching the microspheres to the dielectric layer in a compact configuration, 90% absorption bandwidth beyond 1.2 THz can be observed with a central frequency of 1.8 THz. The theoretical model of multiple reflection and interference is employed to explain these absorption characteristics. Considering the flexible design and high-throughput manufacturing processes, this work provides a promising platform for the development of high-efficiency and multi-functional terahertz devices.

Highly efficient manipulation of Laplace fields in film system with structured bilayer composite: erratum.

We found an obvious mismatch between a statement in the main text and the corresponding figure (Figs. 8(a) and 8(b)) in paper [Opt. Express24, 29537 (2016).10.1364/OE.24.02953728059340]. In page 9, there is a sentence: "The observation lines can be seen in the inserts in Figs. 8(a)-8(c). As can be seen, the potential lines along the lines x = 10 mm and x = -10 mm are straight, which means that no distortion for the external field occurs". However, the potential lines along the lines x = 10 mm and x = -10 mm in the Figs. 8(a) and 8(b) are not straight obviously, and the wrong results have been used inadvertently. This mistake may occur in the process of revising or publication. It should be noted that our sentence or statement is right and the corresponding figure is corrected.

Flexible and tunable terahertz all-dielectric metasurface composed of ceramic spheres embedded in ferroelectric/ elastomer composite.

Terahertz (THz) all-dielectric metasurfaces made of high-index and low-loss resonators have attracted more and more attention due to their versatile properties. However, the all-dielectric metasurfaces in THz suffer from limited bandwidth and low tunability. Meanwhile, they are usually fabricated on flat and rigid substrates, and consequently their applications are restricted. Here, a simple approach is proposed and experimentally demonstrated to obtain a flexible and tunable THz all-dielectric metasurface. In this metasurface, micro ceramic spheres (ZrO2) are embedded in a ferroelectric (strontium titanate) / elastomer (polydimethylsiloxane) composite. It is shown that the Mie resonances in micro ceramic spheres can be thermally and reversibly tuned resulting from the temperature dependent permittivity of the ferroelectric / PDMS composite. This metasurface characterized by flexibility and tunability is expected to have a more extensive application in active THz devices.

Experimental realization of Mie-resonance terahertz absorber by self-assembly method.

Mie-resonance terahertz absorbers by self-assembly method are designed and demonstrated in experiments and simulations. A monolayer of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) microspheres fixed on a copper film with designed grids that were manufactured by direct writing with a composite ink system composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). More importantly, different spacing and array configurations were created economically and efficiently, showing visual performance. Magnetic resonance leads to near-unity absorption at about 0.4 THz in the samples. This work demonstrates efficient terahertz absorbers and highlights a novel direct writing fabrication method that can be extended to produce other optical devices for applications.

Flexible and tunable terahertz all-dielectric metasurface composed of ceramic spheres embedded in ferroelectric/elastomer composite: erratum.

We report an error in our paper [Opt. Express 26, 11633 2018]. The SEM picture shown in Fig. 1(e)Fig. 1(a)-(d) The fabrication process of all-dielectric metasurface. (e) The scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph of fabricated sample. was incorrect. This was due to an error during manuscript preparation: The SEM picture of control group is inadvertently provided in Fig. 1(e), instead of correct SEM picture of sample. Figures 1(a)-1(d) are correct and remain unchanged, and this error does not affect the results or conclusions of the paper. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

High-Q, low-index-contrast photonic crystal nanofiber cavity for high sensitivity refractive index sensing.

We present the design of simultaneous high-quality (Q)-factor and high-sensitivity (S) photonic crystal nanofiber cavities (PCNFCs) made of single silica nanofiber that have a low-index contrast (ratio=1.45). By using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method, two different resonant modes, dielectric mode (DM) and air mode (AM), are designed and optimized to achieve an ultrahigh figure of merit (FOM), respectively. Numerical simulations are performed to study the Q-factors and sensitivities of the proposed PCNFCs. It shows that for both DM- and AM-based PCNFCs, respectively, the Q-factors and sensitivities of Q∼1.1×107, S=563.6 nm/RIU and Q∼2.1×105, S=736.8 nm/RIU can be estimated, resulting in FOMs as high as 4.31×106 and 1.13×105, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first silica nanofiber cavity geometry that simultaneously features high Q and high S for both DM and AM in PCNFCs. Compared with the state of the art of nanofiber-based cavities, the cavity Q-factor to mode volume (V) ratio (Q/V) in this work has been improved more than two orders of magnitude. The demonstration of a high Q/V cavity in low-index-contrast nanofibers can open up versatile applications using a broad range of functional and flexible fibers. Moreover, due to the extended evanescent field and small mode volumes, the proposed PCNFCs are ideal platforms for remote ultra-sensitive refractive-index-based gas sensing without the need for complicated coupling systems.

Flexible, all-dielectric metasurface fabricated via nanosphere lithography and its applications in sensing.

In this letter, we report a flexible, all-dielectric metasurface fabricated via nanosphere lithography (NSL) and demonstrate its potentials in sensing applications. Regularly arrayed Si cylinders with hexagonal lattice fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flexible substrate are exploited to detect applied strain and surface dielectric environment by measuring transmission spectra. Further numerical simulations coincide with experimental observations. The transmission peak can be attributed to coupled magnetic Mie resonance between close-packed Si cylinders. Such Mie resonance based sensor with high flexibility offers an alternative approach towards detecting surrounding variations besides traditional plasmon resonance based sensors, and provides more choices for designing photonic devices operating in the optical regime.

Tunable silicon-based all-dielectric metamaterials with strontium titanate thin film in terahertz range.

Silicon-based all-dielectric metamaterials (SAMs), with advantages like low loss and simple structure, are attracting more and more attention. However, SAMs usually suffer from narrow bandwidth and low tunability, and thereby their applications are seriously impeded. In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a tunable SAMs in terahertz (THz) ranges by covering the SAMs with a layer of active medium, strontium titanate (STO). It shows that the THz responses of SAMs can be thermally tuned due to the temperature-dependent permittivity of STO. This work provides a convenient route to tunable SAMs from THz to optical ranges.

Electrically controlled Mie-resonance absorber.

An electrically controlled metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) based on Mie resonance is demonstrated experimentally and modeled numerically. A ceramic dielectric cube is adhered to a specially shaped thin copper film sputtered on a quartz plate. By passing direct current (DC) through the film, the temperature of the cube can be varied, resulting in changing the cube's permittivity and shifting the absorption resonance frequency. The frequency increases on heating and the absorption is over 99% throughout the tuning range. This method for constructing miniaturized tunable MPAs compares favorably to bulky alternative designs. It also provides a versatile route to broaden the absorption bandwidth and potentially expand the range of applications such as metasurfaces and cloaking devices utilizing nonuniform permittivity absorbers produced by temperature gradients.

Highly efficient manipulation of Laplace fields in film system with structured bilayer composite.

Using metamaterials or transformation optics to manipulate Laplace fields, such as magnetic, electric and thermal fields, has become a research highlight. These studies, however, are usually limited to a bulk material system and to single field manipulation. In this paper, we focus on a film system and propose a general practical method applicable for such a system. In this method, the background film is covered with another one to construct a so-called "bilayer composite" to achieve required physical parameters. On the basis of the bilayer composite, a multi-physics cloak and a multi-physics concentrator for electric current and thermal flux are designed, fabricated, and demonstrated. This work provides an efficient way to control and manipulate single/ multi-physics Laplace fields like a dc electric field and a thermal field in a film system, which may find potential applications in IC technology, MEMS, and so on.

Bifunctional metamaterials with simultaneous and independent manipulation of thermal and electric fields.

Metamaterials offer a powerful way to manipulate a variety of physical fields ranging from wave fields (electromagnetic field, acoustic field, elastic wave, etc.), static fields (static magnetic field, static electric field) to diffusive fields (thermal field, diffusive mass). However, the relevant reports and studies are usually limited to a single physical field or functionality. In this study, we proposed and experimentally demonstrated a bifunctional metamaterial which could manipulate thermal and electric fields simultaneously and independently. Specifically, a composite with independently controllable thermal and electric conductivity was introduced, on the basis of which a bifunctional device capable of shielding thermal flux and concentrating electric current simultaneously was designed, fabricated and characterized. This work provides an encouraging example of metamaterials transcending their natural limitations, which offers a promising future in building a broad platform for the manipulation of multi-physics fields.

Simultaneously concentrated electric and thermal fields using fan-shaped structure.

In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on transformation optics and metamaterial due to their fascinating properties and wide range of promising applications. Concentrator, one of the most well-known applications of transformation optics and metamaterial, is now limited only to a single physical domain. Here we propose and give the experimental demonstration of a bifunctional concentrator that can concentrate both electric and thermal fields to a given region simultaneously while keeping the external fields undistorted. Fan-shaped structure composed of alternating wedges made of two kinds of natural materials is proposed to achieve this goal. Numerical simulation and experimental results show good agreement, indicating the soundness and feasibility of our scheme.

Tunable dual-band negative refractive index in ferrite-based metamaterials.

A tunable dual-band ferrite-based metamaterial has been investigated by experiments and simulations. The negative permeability is realized around the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency which can be influenced by the dimension of the ferrites. Due to having two negative permeability frequency regions around the two FMR frequencies, the metamaterials consisting of metallic wires and ferrite rods with different sizes possess two passbands in the transmission spectra. The microwave transmission properties of the ferrite-based metamaterials can be not only tuned by the applied magnetic field, but also adjusted by the dimension of the ferrite rods. A good agreement between experimental and simulated results is demonstrated, which confirms that the tunable dual-band ferrite-based metamaterials can be used for cloaks, antennas and absorbers.

Hyperbolic metamaterial based on anisotropic Mie-type resonance.

A hyperbolic metamaterial (MM) based on anisotropic Mie-type resonance is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated in microwave range. Based on the shape-dependent Mie-type resonance, metamaterials with indefinite permeability or permittivity parameters are designed by tailoring the isotropic particle into an anisotropic one. The flat lens consisting of anisotropic dielectric resonators has been designed, fabricated and tested. The experimental observation of refocusing and a plane wave with ominidirectional radiation directly verify the predicted properties, which confirm the potential application in negative index material and superlens. This work will also help to develop all-dielectric anisotropic MM devices such as 3D spatial power combination, cloak, and electromagnetic wave converter, etc.

Tailoring Nanohole Plasmonic Resonance with Light-Responsive Azobenzene Compound.

Metal-based nanohole structures, featuring a continuous matrix and discrete voids, have seen a wide spectrum of practical applications, ranging from plasmonic sensing to extraordinary optical transmission. It would not be uncommon to pursue further enhancement of their optical tunability, and incorporation with other functional materials offers an intriguing lead. In this study, the first step involves colloidal lithography fabrication of gold-based, short-range ordered nanohole structures on a glass substrate with varying geometrical parameters. Plasmonic resonance in optical waveband is readily achieved from the coupling between bonding surface plasmons and nanohole lattices. Resonant features observed in transmission measurements could also be well reproduced both from numerical simulations as well as theoretical calculations based on the grating coupling mechanism. With the introduction of a thin layer of azobenzene compound by spin-coating comes the critical transformation that not only alters optical performances by impacting the surface environment but also bestows the structures with light responsiveness. After 488 nm of laser irradiation, it is observed that the structures underwent cross polarization conversion, which could be attributed to the photoalignment behavior from trans-cis isomerization within the azobenzene layer, yielding further optical tunability with the linearly polarized probe light compared to that in the preirradiated state. The tuning of plasmonic resonances through light stimuli paves a noncontacting path for achieving desired optical responses with potentially high spatial and temporal resolution. This work may serve as a fountainhead for future efforts on optically tailorable photonic devices associated with nanohole plasmonics.

Highly Efficient Active All-Dielectric Metasurfaces Based on Hybrid Structures Integrated with Phase-Change Materials: From Terahertz to Optical Ranges.

Recently, all-dielectric metasurfaces (AMs) have emerged as a promising platform for high-efficiency devices ranging from the terahertz to optical ranges. However, active and fast tuning of their properties, such as amplitude, phase, and operating frequency, remains challenging. Here, a generic method is proposed for obtaining high-efficiency active AMs from the terahertz to optical ranges by using "hybrid structures" integrated with phase-change materials. Various phase-change mechanisms including metal-insulator phase change, nonvolatile phase change, and ferroelectric phase change are investigated. We first experimentally demonstrate several high-efficiency active AMs operating in the terahertz range based on hybrid structures composed of free-standing silicon microstructures covered with ultrathin phase-change nanofilms (thickness d ≪ λ). We show that both the frequencies and the strength of the Mie resonances can be efficiently tuned, resulting in unprecedented modulation depth. Furthermore, detailed analyses of available phase-change materials and their properties are provided to offer more options for active AMs. Finally, several feasible hybrid structures for active AMs in the optical range are proposed and confirmed numerically. The broad platform built in this work for active manipulation of waves from the terahertz to optical ranges may have numerous potential applications in optical devices including switches, modulators, and sensors.

A Small-Divergence-Angle Orbital Angular Momentum Metasurface Antenna.

Electromagnetic waves carrying an orbital angular momentum (OAM) are of great interest. However, most OAM antennas present disadvantages such as a complicated structure, low efficiency, and large divergence angle, which prevents their practical applications. So far, there are few papers and research focuses on the problem of the divergence angle. Herein, a metasurface antenna is proposed to obtain the OAM beams with a small divergence angle. The circular arrangement and phase gradient were used to simplify the structure of the metasurface and obtain the small divergence angle, respectively. The proposed metasurface antenna presents a high transmission coefficient and effectively decreases the divergence angle of the OAM beam. All the theoretical analyses and derivation calculations were validated by both simulations and experiments. This compact structure paves the way to generate OAM beams with a small divergence angle.

Microwave Tunable Metamaterial Based on Semiconductor-to-Metal Phase Transition.

A microwave tunable metamaterial utilizing the semiconductor-to-metal transition of vanadium dioxide (VO2) is proposed, experimentally demonstrated and theoretically scrutinized. Basic concept of the design involves the combination of temperature-dependent hysteresis in VO2 with resonance induced heating, resulting in a nonlinear response to power input. A lithographically prepared gold split-rings resonator (SRR) array deposited with VO2 thin film is fabricated. Transmission spectra analysis shows a clear manifestation of nonlinearity, involving power-dependence of resonant frequency as well as transmitted intensity at both elevated and room temperature. Simulation performed with CST Microwave Studio conforms with the findings. The concept may find applications in transmission modulation and frequency tuning devices working under microwave frequency bands.

A Flower-Shaped Thermal Energy Harvester Made by Metamaterials.

Harvesting thermal energy from arbitrary directions has become an exciting theoretical possibility. However, an exact 3D thermal energy harvester is still challenging to achieve for the stringent requirement of highly anisotropic and symmetrical structures with homogenous materials, as well as absence of effective characterization. In this Communication, a flower-shaped thermal harvesting metamaterial is originally promoted. Numerical simulations imply that heat flux can be concentrated into the target core and a temperature gradient turns out to be more than two times larger than the applied one without obvious distortion or perturbation to the temperature profile outside the concentrator. Temperature transitions of the actual device are experimentally measured to validate the novel structure with consistency of the simulated results with original methods. With ultraefficiency independent of geometrical size, the flower-shaped thermal harvester facilitates multiple scale energy harvesting with splendid efficient and might help to improve thermoelectric devices efficiency in a totally new perspective.

Dual band metamaterial perfect absorber based on artificial dielectric "molecules".

Dual band metamaterial perfect absorbers with two absorption bands are highly desirable because of their potential application areas such as detectors, transceiver system, and spectroscopic imagers. However, most of these dual band metamaterial absorbers proposed were based on resonances of metal patterns. Here, we numerically and experimentally demonstrate a dual band metamaterial perfect absorber composed of artificial dielectric "molecules" with high symmetry. The artificial dielectric "molecule" consists of four "atoms" of two different sizes corresponding to two absorption bands with near unity absorptivity. Numerical and experimental absorptivity verify that the dual-band metamaterial absorber is polarization insensitive and can operate in wide-angle incidence.