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Experimental demonstration of frequency-agile terahertz metamaterials

Nature Photonics volume 2, pages 295–298 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Metamaterials exhibit numerous novel effects1,2,3,4,5 and operate over a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum6,7,8,9,10. Metamaterial devices based on these effects include gradient-index lenses11,12, modulators for terahertz radiation13,14,15 and compact waveguides16. The resonant nature of metamaterials results in frequency dispersion and narrow bandwidth operation where the centre frequency is fixed by the geometry and dimensions of the elements comprising the metamaterial composite. The creation of frequency-agile metamaterials would extend the spectral range over which devices function and, further, enable the manufacture of new devices such as dynamically tunable notch filters. Here, we demonstrate such frequency-agile metamaterials operating in the far-infrared by incorporating semiconductors in critical regions of metallic split-ring resonators. For this first-generation device, external optical control results in tuning of the metamaterial resonance frequency by ∼20%. Our approach is integrable with current semiconductor technologies and can be implemented in other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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Figure 1: Scanning electron microscopy images of the frequency-tunable planar metamaterial.
Figure 2: Terahertz electric-field transmission amplitude of the metamaterial shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 3: Schematic of inductively tuned metamaterial designs.
Figure 4: Simulated THz electric-field transmission amplitude of metamaterial designs presented in Fig. 3.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge support from the Los Alamos National Laboratory LDRD Program. This work was performed, in part, at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, a US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences nanoscale science research centre operated jointly by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. Los Alamos National Laboratory, an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, for the National Security administration of the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC52-06NA25396. D.B.S. and W.J.P. acknowledge support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), grant N000140710819. H.-T.C. would also like to acknowledge E. Akhadov for the SEM imaging, and stimulating discussions with K. Burch and A. Findikoglu.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Physics & Applications Division, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, 87545, New Mexico, USA

    Hou-Tong Chen, John F. O'Hara, Abul K. Azad & Antoinette J. Taylor

  2. Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 02215, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Averitt

  3. Department of Physics, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 02467, Massachusetts, USA

    David B. Shrekenhamer & Willie J. Padilla

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  1. Hou-Tong Chen
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Correspondence to Hou-Tong Chen.

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Chen, HT., O'Hara, J., Azad, A. et al. Experimental demonstration of frequency-agile terahertz metamaterials. Nature Photon 2, 295–298 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2008.52

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