负折射超材料响应中心频率的液晶调控

提出开口金属环加液晶的三明治超材料结构,将优化的超材料金属环线结构单元与液晶相结合,采用外加电场调节液晶的介电系数,使该结构的负折射响应中心频率可在一定范围内较方便、反复的调整.通过模拟仿真和理论分析证明这是一个可行的结构模型.     

Optical chiral metamaterial based on the resonant behaviour of nanodiscs

Circular dichorism and optical activity have been achieved by chiral metamaterials in the optical spectrum, but for the case of negative index of refraction, remarkable achievements have not been obtained in this region so far. We employ nanoparticles to shift the resonant frequency of a chiral metamaterial based on twisted cross wires to optical domain. Our proposed structure provides giant optical activity, strong circular dichorism and also negative refractive index in the optical wavelengths. Optical activity in our structure has a rotary power similar to a gyrotropic crystal of quartz, but in a thickness which is four orders of magnitude smaller. The foundation of our method for realizing such an optical chiral metamaterial is based on creating a different coupling between longitudinal modes of localized surface plasmons for right and left circularly polarized incident waves.     

Quantum-interference and the concentration of Er3+ ion effect on left-handedness with zero absorption and large negative refractive index in Er3+:YAG crystal

The electromagnetically induced left-handedness with zero absorption and large negative refractive index was investigated in a solid Er³⁺:YAG crystal with a four-level system proposed for an atomic medium. It was found that the frequency region with simultaneous negative permittivity and negative permeability, the zero absorption intervals, and the maximum values of the negative refractive index can be adjusted by changing the signal field, the coherent field, as well as the concentration of Er³⁺ ion in crystal. It is shown that wider zero absorption intervals with a higher index of refraction can be easily obtained when the signal field is only off resonance. The slab fabricated by the left-handed solid medium Er³⁺:YAG crystal with zero absorption may be a practical candidate for designing perfect lenses.     

Optical negative refraction by four-wave mixing in thin metallic nanostructures

The law of refraction first derived by Snellius and later introduced as the Huygens-Fermat principle, states that the incidence and refracted angles of a light wave at the interface of two different materials are related to the ratio of the refractive indices in each medium. Whereas all natural materials have a positive refractive index and therefore exhibit refraction in the positive direction, artificially engineered negative index metamaterials have been shown capable of bending light waves negatively. Such a negative refractive index is the key to achieving a perfect lens that is capable of imaging well below the diffraction limit. However, negative index metamaterials are typically lossy, narrow band, and require complicated fabrication processes. Recently, an alternative approach to obtain negative refraction from a very thin nonlinear film has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated in the microwave region. However, such approaches use phase conjugation, which makes optical implementations difficult. Here, we report a simple but different scheme to demonstrate experimentally nonlinear negative refraction at optical frequencies using four-wave mixing in nanostructured metal films. The refractive index can be designed at will by simply tuning the wavelengths of the interacting waves, which could have potential impact on many important applications, such as superlens imaging.     

Goos-Hänchen shift of the reflected wave through an anisotropic metamaterial containing metal/dielectric nanocomposites

Goos-H?nchen (GH) shift of a transverse-magnetic (TM) wave reflected from a semi-infinite anisotropic metamaterial consisting of aligned metallic nanowires in a dielectric matrix is investigated. Based on Bruggeman effective medium theory, we obtain the conditions for realizing the negative refraction, which are dependent on both the incident wavelength and the volume fraction of metallic inclusions. Then, we investigate the GH shifts from the composite metamaterial with positive and negative refractions with the stationary-phase method. Numerical results show that the enhancement of GH shift can be achieved near the pseudo-Brewster angle for small volume fractions and at the close-to-grazing incidence for large volume fractions. We further find that for positively refractive metamaterials with weak absorption, one can realize the transition from negative GH shift to the positive one by adjusting the incident wavelength. However, for negatively refractive composite metamaterials, the reversal of the GH shifts may take place by the adjustment of the volume fraction instead of the incident wavelength. In order to demonstrate the validity of the stationary-phase approach, numerical simulations are performed for a Gaussian-shaped beam. In the end, by using COMSOL simulation, a comprehensive understanding is given and the above analysis is confirmed.     

Media with zero refractive index at a preset frequency

The refraction of a plane s-polarized electromagnetic wave on the vacuum–metamaterial interface is considered. It is established that, under certain conditions, a medium consisting of electric and magnetic dipoles or entirely of electric dipoles can behave as possessing a zero refractive index at a preset frequency.     

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.     

An ‘electromagnetic wiggler’ originating from refraction of waves at the side edge of a Bragg reflector

Calculations are reported which predict that light incident on the side edge of a Bragg reflector can show varied and unusual refraction behaviour, including a rapid transition from positive to negative refraction. Although under certain conditions negative refraction can occur, it is concluded that perfect lensing based on it is unlikely to be realised in practice. However, it is shown that light incident obliquely on the structure can be made to propagate normal to the interface after refraction while exhibiting lateral oscillations of its Poynting vector, an effect that could possibly find application in an ‘electromagnetic wiggler’. It is also shown that negative group velocity rather than negative effective mass is required for the observation of the negative refraction, and in the case of low refractive index contrast, negative refraction occurs only when the size of the illumination spot exceeds a critical value, which is inversely proportional to the contrast of the refractive indices.     

Negative-index metamaterial at visible frequencies based on high order plasmon resonance

A type of negative-index metamaterial composed of periodic arrays of SRRs is proposed and numerically investigated in the visible frequencies. Employing the high order magnetic resonance to induce negative permeability, negative refractive index is obtained between 395 THz and 430 THz with the maximum FOM=4.59. The effective permeability exhibits a rapid convergence with increasing number of metamaterial layers. Different responses from the electric and magnetic resonances to the changing geometric parameters are compared and analyzed in terms of the field distribution. Simulation results show that the high order magnetic resonance can be greatly enhanced at visible frequencies as well as effectively tuned over a wide spectral range without notably altering the coupling between unit cells.     

Analysis of an optically controlled photonic switch

The principle that the coupling of light between two fiber waveguides can be controlled by the resonant interference of a third waveguide has been developed [Attard, Appl. Opt. 37, 2296-2302 (1998)]. Here significant details concerning the operation of a photonic switch are obtained, and a more complete analysis is presented. Multiple-resonant conditions are identified for slab and fiber control waveguides at large indices of refraction. Thus a selection of materials with an appropriate refractive index and a Kerr coefficient is rendered more easily. Furthermore it is shown that the light used to control the index of refraction in the control waveguide does not enter the output of the photonic switch but remains confined to the control waveguide, for either a slab or a multimode fiber control waveguide. Spatial fluctuations of the control light beam in the control waveguide do not affect the operation of the photonic switch. Tolerances have been determined for the spacing between the control waveguide and the photonic coupler and also for the index of refraction of the control waveguide.     

Retroreflector approximation of a generalized Eaton lens

We extended a previous study of the Eaton lens at specific refraction angles to the Eaton lens at any refraction angle. The refractive index of the Eaton lens is complicated and has no analytical form except at a few specific angles. We derived a more accessible form of the refractive index for any refraction angle with some accuracy using the retroreflector approximation. The finding of this study will be useful for a rapid estimation of the refractive index, and the the design of various Eaton lenses.     

Negative refraction in the visible range in water-infiltrated opal photonic crystals

A negative refraction effect has been found in opal photonic crystals in the visible range. We have calculated the dispersion branches of a photonic crystal and determined the position of its photonic band gap. The frequency range has been identified where the refractive index of the opal is negative. An experimental arrangement is proposed for focusing a light beam by passing it through a plane-parallel opal photonic crystal and experimental evidence is presented in favor of negative refraction in the visible range.     

Metamaterial composed of different cells exhibiting a negative refraction property over multiple frequency bands

Experimental measurements are presented of the SSRR-MW (square split resonant ring and metal wire) and CSRR-MW (C split resonant ring and metal wire) samples at microwave frequencies. The geometrical shapes of the metamaterial samples are found to play an important role in determining the resonant frequency. Different cells are chosen to stack into a two-layer or a three-layer metamaterial unit to realize multiple negative passbands. The effective parameters of three one-layer models, a two-layer unit, and a three-layer unit are retrieved from the simulation data. The composed models exhibit two or more negative bands by overlapping the passbands of the original cells, and broaden the negative refraction. The recovered parameters show good agreement with theoretical analysis.     

Design of two-dimensional photonic crystal structure based in all-angle negative refractive effect for application in focusing systems

A design of a polarisation independent focusing system of electromagnetic waves in a two-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) is proposed and numerically demonstrated by using the finite-difference time-domain method. We have shown that by the careful selection of both the refractive index of the high index material and the air cylinder radius, a complete all-angle negative refraction can be obtained for both the transverse electric (TE) and the transverse magnetic (TM) polarisations. We have demonstrated that the proposed PC structures can focus either the TE or the TM or both TE and TM polarised waves with sub-wavelength resolution. In addition, a significant improvement of the image resolution has been presented     

磁控溅射超薄金属膜在太赫兹波段的光学特性

采用THz时域光谱测试技术，对Fe扣Co的超薄金属膜在0.2～2，5THz波段的吸收特性、透射特性以及折射率进行了研究。在室温并去除水份影响的氮气环境中，获得了不同种类扣不同厚度的薄金属膜在太赫兹波段的时域谱．利用Origin7．0扣Matlab7，0软件处理得到这些金属薄膜对太赫兹波的透射率，吸收系数扣折射率．对比发现金属超薄膜在太赫兹波段的光学特性随薄膜厚度以及太赫兹波频率的变化有很大的改变，也就是具有明显的尺寸效应．同时根据所得到的折射率开口吸收系数还可以理论上计算出不同种类与厚度的超薄金属膜在太赫兹波段的复介电函数．     

Transverse localization in disordered lattices containing left-handed metamaterials

A numerical study is reported of the propagation of an initially localized wave in a one-dimensional disordered lattice composed of left-handed metamaterials. We first consider the structure made of right-handed and left-handed materials arranged periodically. By allowing disorder in the refractive index of the right-handed materials, the injected wave becomes localized as propagating through the disordered lattice. Then, we consider another photonic lattice comprising only left-handed metamaterials. It is found that the inclusion of disorder in the negative refractive index of the constituents of the system leads to transverse Anderson localization. We also investigate the dispersion effect of metamaterials on the localization behavior. It is demonstrated that inclusion of a dispersive metamaterial in the disordered photonic lattices causes the quality of transverse localization to enhance with increasing wavelength.     

Infrared metamaterial phase holograms

As a result of advances in nanotechnology and the burgeoning capabilities for fabricating materials with controlled nanoscale geometries, the traditional notion of what constitutes an optical device continues to evolve. The fusion of maturing low-cost lithographic techniques with newer optical design strategies has enabled the introduction of artificially structured metamaterials in place of conventional materials for improving optical components as well as realizing new optical functionality. Here we demonstrate multilayer, lithographically patterned, subwavelength, metal elements, whose distribution forms a computer-generated phase hologram in the infrared region (10.6 μm). Metal inclusions exhibit extremely large scattering and can be implemented in metamaterials that exhibit a wide range of effective medium response, including anomalously large or negative refractive index; optical magnetism; and controlled anisotropy. This large palette of metamaterial responses can be leveraged to achieve greater control over the propagation of light, leading to more compact, efficient and versatile optical components.     

Design, fabrication and characterization of indefinite metamaterials of nanowires

Indefinite optical properties, which are typically characterized by hyperbolic dispersion relations, have not been observed in naturally occurring materials, but can be realized through a metamaterial approach. We present here the design, fabrication and characterization of nanowire metamaterials with indefinite permittivity, in which all-angle negative refraction of light is observed. The bottom-up fabrication technique, which applies electrochemical plating of nanowires in porous alumina template, is developed and demonstrated in achieving uniform hyperbolic optical properties at a large scale. We developed techniques to improve the uniformity and to reduce the defect density in the sample. The non-magnetic design and the off-resonance operation of the nanowire metamaterials significantly reduce the energy loss of electromagnetic waves and make the broad-band negative refraction of light possible.     

The asymmetric lossy near-perfect lens

We extend the ideas of the perfect lens recently proposed [J.B. Pendry, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3966 (2000)] to an alternative structure. We show that a slab of a medium with negative refractive index bounded by media of different positive refractive index also amplifies evanescent waves and can act as a near-perfect lens. We examine the role of the surface states in the amplification of the evanescent waves. The image resolution obtained by this asymmetric lens is more robust against the effects of absorption in the lens. In particular, we study the case of a slab of silver, which has a negative dielectric constant, with air on one side and other media such as glass or GaAs on the other side as an ‘asymmetric’ lossy near-perfect lens for p-polarized waves. It is found that retardation has an adverse effect on the imaging due to the positive magnetic permeability of silver, but we conclude that subwavelength image resolution is possible in spite of it.     

Microwave focusing and beam collimation using negative index of refraction lenses

Negative index of refraction materials (NIMs) were first postulated by Veselago in 1968 and have recently been realised using structures formed with rings and wires deposited on printed circuit boards. The proof of the existence of negative index of refraction was established using a Snell's law experiment with a wedge. The predicted and measured refraction angles were found to be consistent for a negative index material and in excellent agreement with the theoretical expectations. For microwave lenses NIMs have the advantage of being lighter, having better focusing properties and potentially lower aberrations. Simulation and experimental results on NIM configurations including gradient index of refraction and spherical 3D lenses are presented. Both focusing and beam collimating applications will be considered. These results will be compared to normal positive index of refraction material lenses