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Optical magnetism in planar metamaterial heterostructures
Georgia T Papadakis1, Dagny Fleischman2,3, Artur Davoyan2,3,4
1Thomas J. Watson Laboratories of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA. gpapadak@caltech.edu.
Nature Communications
|January 20, 2018
Summary
Researchers demonstrate artificial magnetism in planar multilayer metamaterials, overcoming previous limitations to TM polarization. This breakthrough enables tailored optical magnetism in layered systems for both transverse electric and magnetic polarizations.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Metamaterials
Background:
- Artificial optical magnetism traditionally requires complex 2D/3D structures like nanoparticle arrays and split-ring metamaterials.
- Planar dielectric/metal multilayer metamaterials were generally considered non-magnetic, limiting their applications to transverse magnetic (TM) polarization.
- Existing research focused on hyperbolic and plasmonic properties, overlooking magnetic responses in these planar systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and experimentally validate a novel mechanism for achieving artificial magnetism in planar multilayer metamaterials.
- To demonstrate the anisotropic magnetic properties of high-index dielectric/metal hyperbolic metamaterials.
- To enable transverse electric (TE) polarized interface-bound waves in these systems, analogous to TM polarized surface plasmon polaritons.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical proposal of a mechanism for artificial magnetism in planar multilayer metamaterials.
- Experimental validation of the proposed mechanism.
- Investigation of magnetic hyperbolic dispersion in high-index dielectric/metal hyperbolic metamaterials.
Main Results:
- Successful demonstration of artificial magnetism in planar multilayer metamaterials.
- Observation of anisotropic magnetic properties leading to magnetic hyperbolic dispersion.
- Experimental validation of transverse electric (TE) polarized interface-bound waves, generalizing plasmonic and hyperbolic properties.
Conclusions:
- A new route for tailoring optical artificial magnetism in lithography-free layered systems has been established.
- The study generalizes plasmonic and hyperbolic properties to include both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations.
- This work overcomes previous polarization limitations, expanding the potential applications of planar metamaterials.
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