Optically controllable THz chiral metamaterials.

Switchable and tunable chiral metamaterial response is numerically demonstrated here in different uniaxial chiral metamaterial structures operating in the THz regime. The structures are based on the bi-layer conductor design and the tunable/switchable response is achieved by replacing parts of the metallic components of the structures by photoconducting Si, which can be transformed from an insulating to an almost conducting state through photoexcitation, achievable under external optical pumping. All the structures proposed and discussed here exhibit frequency regions with giant tunable circular dichroism, as well as regions with giant tunable optical activity, showing unique potential in the achievement of active THz polarization components, like tunable polarizers and polarization filters.

Eutectic epsilon-near-zero metamaterial terahertz waveguides.

We present and analyze the unique phenomena of enhanced THz transmission through a subwavelength LiF dielectric rod lattice embedded in an epsilon-near-zero KCl host. Our experimental results in combination with theoretical calculations show that subwavelength waveguiding of terahertz radiation is achieved within an alkali-halide eutectic metamaterial as result of the coupling of Mie-resonance modes arising in the dielectric lattice.

Self-organization approach for THz polaritonic metamaterials.

In this paper we discuss the fabrication and the electromagnetic (EM) characterization of anisotropic eutectic metamaterials, consisting of cylindrical polaritonic LiF rods embedded in either KCl or NaCl polaritonic host. The fabrication was performed using the eutectics directional solidification self-organization approach. For the EM characterization the specular reflectance at far infrared, between 3 THz and 11 THz, was measured and also calculated by numerically solving Maxwell equations, obtaining good agreement between experimental and calculated spectra. Applying an effective medium approach to describe the response of our samples, we predicted a range of frequencies in which most of our systems behave as homogeneous anisotropic media with a hyperbolic dispersion relation, opening thus possibilities for using them in negative refractive index and imaging applications at THz range.

Theory of pump-probe experiments of metallic metamaterials coupled to a gain medium.

We establish a new approach for pump-probe simulations of metallic metamaterials coupled to the gain materials. It is of vital importance to understand the mechanism of the coupling of metamaterials with the gain medium. Using a four-level gain system, we have studied light amplification of arrays of metallic split-ring resonators with a gain layer underneath. We find that the differential transmittance ΔT/T can be negative for split-ring resonators on the top of the gain substrate, which is not expected, and ΔT/T is positive for the gain substrate alone. These simulations agree with pump-probe experiments and can help to design new experiments to compensate for the losses of metamaterials.

Single and multilayer metamaterials fabricated by nanoimprint lithography.

We demonstrate for the first time a fast and easy nanoimprint lithography (NIL) based stacking process of negative index structures like fishnet and Swiss-cross metamaterials. The process takes a few seconds, is cheap and produces three-dimensional (3D) negative index materials (NIMs) on a large area which is suitable for mass production. It can be performed on all common substrates even on flexible plastic foils. This work is therefore an important step toward novel and breakthrough applications of NIMs such as cloaking devices, perfect lenses and magnification of objects using NIM prisms. The optical properties of the fabricated samples were measured by means of transmission and reflection spectroscopy. From the measured data we retrieved the effective refractive index which is shown to be negative for a wavelength around 1.8 µm for the fishnet metamaterial while the Swiss-cross metamaterial samples show a distinct resonance at wavelength around 1.4 µm.

Transmission enhancement through deep subwavelength apertures using connected split ring resonators.

We report astonishingly high transmission enhancement factors through a subwavelength aperture at microwave frequencies by placing connected split ring resonators in the vicinity of the aperture. We carried out numerical simulations that are consistent with our experimental conclusions. We experimentally show higher than 70,000-fold extraordinary transmission through a deep subwavelength aperture with an electrical size of lambda/31 x lambda/12 (width x length), in terms of the operational wavelength. We discuss the physical origins of the phenomenon. Our numerical results predict that even more improvements of the enhancement factors are attainable. Theoretically, the approach opens up the possibility for achieving very large enhancement factors by overcoming the physical limitations and thereby minimizes the dependence on the aperture geometries.

Twisted split-ring-resonator photonic metamaterial with huge optical activity.

Coupled split-ring-resonator metamaterials have previously been shown to exhibit large coupling effects, which are a prerequisite for obtaining large effective optical activity. By a suitable lateral arrangement of these building blocks, we completely eliminate linear birefringence and obtain pure optical activity and connected circular optical dichroism. Experiments around a 100 THz frequency and corresponding modeling are in good agreement. Rotation angles of about 30 degrees for 205 nm sample thickness are derived.

Planar designs for electromagnetically induced transparency in metamaterials.

We present a planar design of a metamaterial exhibiting electromagnetically induced transparency that is amenable to experimental verification in the microwave frequency band. The design is based on the coupling of a split-ring resonator with a cut-wire in the same plane. We investigate the sensitivity of the parameters of the transmission window on the coupling strength and on the circuit elements of the individual resonators, and we interpret the results in terms of two linearly coupled Lorentzian resonators. Our metamaterial designs combine low losses with the extremely small group velocity associated with the resonant response in the transmission window, rendering them suitable for slow light applications at room temperature.

Strong optical activity from twisted-cross photonic metamaterials.

Following a recent theoretical suggestion and microwave experiments, we fabricate photonic metamaterials composed of pairs of twisted gold crosses using two successive electron-beam-lithography steps and intermediate planarization via a spin-on dielectric. The resulting two effective resonances of the coupled system lie in the 1-2 microm wavelength regime and exhibit pronounced circular dichroism, while the circular polarization conversion is very small. In between the two resonances, we find a fairly broad spectral regime with strong optical activity, i.e., with a pure rotation of incident linear polarization. The measured optical transmittance spectra agree well with theory.

Multi-gap individual and coupled split-ring resonator structures.

We present a systematic numerical study, validated by accompanied experimental data, of individual and coupled split ring resonators (SRRs) of a single rectangular ring with one, two and four gaps. We discuss the behavior of the magnetic resonance frequency, the magnetic field and the currents in the SRRs, as one goes from a single SRR to strongly interacting SRR pairs in the SRR plane. We show that coupling of the SRRs along the E direction results to shift of the magnetic resonance frequency to lower or higher values, depending on the capacitive or inductive nature of the coupling. Strong SRR coupling along propagation direction usually results to splitting of the single SRR resonance into two distinct resonances, associated with peculiar field and current distributions.

Negative index short-slab pair and continuous wires metamaterials in the far infrared regime.

Using transmission and reflection measurements under normal incidence in one and three layers of a mum-scale metamaterial consisting of pairs of short-slabs and continuous wires, fabricated by a photolithography procedure, we demonstrate the occurrence of a negative refractive index regime in the far infrared range, ~2.4-3 THz. The negative index behavior in that system at ~2.4-3 THz is further confirmed by associated simulations, which are in qualitative agreement with the experimental results.

Design-related losses of double-fishnet negative-index photonic metamaterials.

The literature regarding the influence of the hole shape on the performance, especially on the losses, of negative-index metamaterials on the basis of the so-called double-fishnet structure is unclear. We investigate this aspect in a systematic theoretical study showing that the figure of merit can differ by as much as a factor of 2.5 between rectangular and circular holes, respectively.

Electromagnetic parameter retrieval from inhomogeneous metamaterials.

We discuss the validity of standard retrieval methods that assign bulk electromagnetic properties, such as the electric permittivity epsilon and the magnetic permeability mu, from calculations of the scattering (S) parameters for finite-thickness samples. S-parameter retrieval methods have recently become the principal means of characterizing artificially structured metamaterials, which, by nature, are inherently inhomogeneous. While the unit cell of a metamaterial can be made considerably smaller than the free space wavelength, there remains a significant variation of the phase across the unit cell at operational frequencies in nearly all metamaterial structures reported to date. In this respect, metamaterials do not rigorously satisfy an effective medium limit and are closer conceptually to photonic crystals. Nevertheless, we show here that a modification of the standard S-parameter retrieval procedure yields physically reasonable values for the retrieved electromagnetic parameters, even when there is significant inhomogeneity within the unit cell of the structure. We thus distinguish a metamaterial regime, as opposed to the effective medium or photonic crystal regimes, in which a refractive index can be rigorously established but where the wave impedance can only be approximately defined. We present numerical simulations on typical metamaterial structures to illustrate the modified retrieval algorithm and the impact on the retrieved material parameters. We find that no changes to the standard retrieval procedures are necessary when the inhomogeneous unit cell is symmetric along the propagation axis; however, when the unit cell does not possess this symmetry, a modified procedure--in which a periodic structure is assumed--is required to obtain meaningful electromagnetic material parameters.

Localized random lasing modes and a path for observing localization.

We demonstrate that a knowledge of the density of states and the eigenstates of a random system without gain, in conjunction with the frequency profile of the gain, can accurately predict the mode that will lase first. Its critical pumping rate can also be obtained. It is found that the shape of the wave function of the random system remains unchanged as gain is introduced. These results were obtained by the time-independent transfer matrix method and finite-difference time-domain methods in a one-dimensional model. They can also be analytically understood by generalizing the semiclassical Lamb theory of lasing in random systems. These findings provide a path for observing the localization of light, such as looking for the mobility edge and studying the localized states.

Ministop bands in single-defect photonic crystal waveguides.

We numerically study single-defect photonic crystal waveguides obtained from a triangular lattice of air holes in a dielectric background. It is found that, for medium-high air filling ratios, the transmission has very small values in narrow frequency regions lying inside the photonic band gap-the so-called ministop bands. Two types of ministop bands are shown to exist; one of which is due to the multimode nature of the waveguide. Their dependence on the length of the waveguide and on the air filling ratio is presented.

Numerical studies of left-handed materials and arrays of split ring resonators.

We present numerical results on the transmission properties of the left-handed materials (LHMs) and split-ring resonators (SRRs). The simulation results are in qualitative agreement with experiments. The dependence of the transmission through LHMs on the real and imaginary part of the electric permittivity of the metal, the length of the system, and the size of the unit cell are presented. We also study the dependence of the resonance frequency of the array of SRRs on the ring thickness, inner diameter, radial and azimuthal gap, as well as on the electrical permittivity of the board and the embedding medium, where the SRR resides. Qualitatively good agreement with previously published analytical results is obtained.

Transmission losses in left-handed materials.

We numerically analyze the origin of the transmission losses in left-handed structures. Our data confirms that left-handed structures can have very good transmission properties, in spite of the expectable dispersion of their effective permeability and refraction index. The large permittivity of the metallic components improves the transmission. High losses, observed in recent experiments, could be explained by the absorption of the dielectric board.

Resonant and antiresonant frequency dependence of the effective parameters of metamaterials.

We present a numerical study of the electromagnetic response of the metamaterial elements that are used to construct materials with negative refractive index. For an array of split ring resonators (SRR) we find that the resonant behavior of the effective magnetic permeability is accompanied by an antiresonant behavior of the effective permittivity. In addition, the imaginary parts of the effective permittivity and permeability are opposite in sign. We also observe an identical resonant versus antiresonant frequency dependence of the effective materials parameters for a periodic array of thin metallic wires with cuts placed periodically along the length of the wire, with roles of the permittivity and permeability reversed from the SRR case. We show in a simple manner that the finite unit cell size is responsible for the antiresonant behavior.

Parametric localized modes in quadratic nonlinear photonic structures.

We analyze two-color spatially localized nonlinear modes formed by parametrically coupled fundamental and second-harmonic fields excited at quadratic (or chi(2)) nonlinear interfaces embedded in a linear layered structure--a quadratic nonlinear photonic crystal. For a periodic lattice of nonlinear interfaces, we derive an effective discrete model for the amplitudes of the fundamental and second-harmonic waves at the interfaces (the so-called discrete chi(2) equations) and find, numerically and analytically, the spatially localized solutions--discrete gap solitons. For a single nonlinear interface in a linear superlattice, we study the properties of two-color localized modes, and describe both similarities to and differences from quadratic solitons in homogeneous media.

Low-loss metamaterials based on classical electromagnetically induced transparency.

We demonstrate theoretically that electromagnetically induced transparency can be achieved in metamaterials, in which electromagnetic radiation is interacting resonantly with mesoscopic oscillators rather than with atoms. We describe novel metamaterial designs that can support a full dark resonant state upon interaction with an electromagnetic beam and we present results of its frequency-dependent effective permeability and permittivity. These results, showing a transparency window with extremely low absorption and strong dispersion, are confirmed by accurate simulations of the electromagnetic field propagation in the metamaterial.