Compliant metamaterials for resonantly enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy and refractive index sensing.

Metamaterials can be designed to operate at frequencies from the visible to the mid-IR, making these structures useful for both refractive index sensing and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy. Here we investigate how the mechanical deformation of compliant metamaterials can be used to create new types of tunable sensing surfaces. For split ring resonator based metamaterials on polydimethylsiloxane we demonstrate refractive index sensing with figures of merit of up to 10.1. Given the tunability of the resonance of these structures through the infrared after fabrication, they are well suited for detection of the absorption signal of many typical vibrational modes. The results highlight the promise of postfabrication tunable sensors and the potential for integration.

Characterization of the tunable response of highly strained compliant optical metamaterials.

Metamaterial designs are typically limited to a narrow operating bandwidth that is predetermined by the fabricated dimensions. Various approaches have previously been used to introduce post-fabrication tunability and thus enable active metamaterials. In this work, we exploit the mechanical deformability of a highly compliant polymeric substrate to achieve dynamic, tunable resonant frequency shifts greater than a resonant linewidth. We investigate the effect of metamaterial shape on the plastic deformation limit of resonators. We find that, for designs in which the local strain is evenly distributed, the response is elastic under larger global tensile strains. The plastic and elastic limits of resonator deformation are explored and the results indicate that, once deformed, the resonators operate within a new envelope of elastic response. We also demonstrate the use of coupled resonator systems to add an additional degree of freedom to the frequency tunability and show that compliant substrates can be used as a tool to test coupling strength. Finally, we illustrate how compliant metamaterials could be used as infrared sensors, and show enhancement of an infrared vibration absorption feature by a factor of 225.

Highly strained compliant optical metamaterials with large frequency tunability.

Metamaterial designs are typically limited to operation over a narrow bandwidth dictated by the resonant line width. Here we report a compliant metamaterial with tunability of Δλ ∼ 400 nm, greater than the resonant line width at optical frequencies, using high-strain mechanical deformation of an elastomeric substrate to controllably modify the distance between the resonant elements. Using this compliant platform, we demonstrate dynamic surface-enhanced infrared absorption by tuning the metamaterial resonant frequency through a CH stretch vibrational mode, enhancing the reflection signal by a factor of 180. Manipulation of resonator components is also used to tune and modulate the Fano resonance of a coupled system.

Symmetry breaking and strong coupling in planar optical metamaterials.

We demonstrate narrow transmission resonances at near-infrared wavelengths utilizing coupled asymmetric split-ring resonators (SRRs). By breaking the symmetry of the coupled SRR system, one can excite dark (subradiant) resonant modes that are not readily accessible to symmetric SRR structures. We also show that the quality factor of metamaterial resonant elements can be controlled by tailoring the degree of asymmetry. Changing the distance between asymmetric resonators changes the coupling strength and results in resonant frequency tuning due to resonance hybridization.

Compact silicon photonic waveguide modulator based on the vanadium dioxide metal-insulator phase transition.

We have integrated lithographically patterned VO2 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition with silicon-on-insulator photonic waveguides to demonstrate a compact in-line absorption modulator for use in photonic circuits. Using single-mode waveguides at lambda=1550 nm, we show optical modulation of the guided transverse-electric mode of more than 6.5 dB with 2 dB insertion loss over a 2-microm active device length. Loss is determined for devices fabricated on waveguide ring resonators by measuring the resonator spectral response, and a sharp decrease in resonator quality factor is observed above 70 degrees C, consistent with switching of VO2 to its metallic phase. A computational study of device geometry is also presented, and we show that it is possible to more than double the modulation depth with modified device structures.

Frequency tunable near-infrared metamaterials based on VO2 phase transition.

Engineering metamaterials with tunable resonances from mid-infrared to near-infrared wavelengths could have far-reaching consequences for chip based optical devices, active filters, modulators, and sensors. Utilizing the metal-insulator phase transition in vanadium oxide (VO(2)), we demonstrate frequency-tunable metamaterials in the near-IR range, from 1.5 - 5 microns. Arrays of Ag split ring resonators (SRRs) are patterned with e-beam lithography onto planar VO(2) and etched via reactive ion etching to yield Ag/VO(2) hybrid SRRs. FTIR reflection data and FDTD simulation results show the resonant peak position red shifts upon heating above the phase transition temperature. We also show that, by including coupling elements in the design of these hybrid Ag/VO(2) bi-layer structures, we can achieve resonant peak position tuning of up to 110 nm.