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"Rainbow" trapping and releasing at telecommunication wavelengths
Qiaoqiang Gan1, Yujie J Ding, Filbert J Bartoli
1Center for Optical Technologies, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, USA. qig206@lehigh.edu
Physical Review Letters
|March 5, 2009
Summary
Scientists scaled "trapped rainbow" light storage from micrometers to nanometers using metamaterials. This advancement enables control of terahertz (THz) and telecommunication waves for nanophotonic circuits.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- "Trapped rainbow" storage utilizes graded metamaterials and plasmonic structures to control electromagnetic radiation.
- Previous methods were limited to the micrometer (µm) scale for terahertz (THz) light.
Purpose of the Study:
- To scale "trapped rainbow" storage to the nanometer (nm) level for telecommunication waves.
- To incorporate frequency-dependent dielectric properties of metals into graded grating structures.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing frequency-dependent dielectric properties of metals.
- Designing graded grating structures for nanophotonic applications.
- Scaling THz storage structures to the nanometer level.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the feasibility of scaling "trapped rainbow" storage to the nanometer level.
- Successfully adapted structures for telecommunication wave frequencies.
- Showcased potential for integration into nanophotonic circuits.
Conclusions:
- The scaled "trapped rainbow" effect offers a new pathway for controlling electromagnetic waves at the nanoscale.
- This technology has significant implications for optical communication and integrated nanophotonic devices.
